NM - Actor Timothy Busfield arrested, 10 January 2026

[LAborn]

I don't think it's frivilous but I also didn't see a strong case or a strong prosecutor when I watched the hearing. Not so far, anyway.

jmopinion

Agree, I also was underwhelmed by the prosecutor. Will she take this case through til the end or is she one of a team?

 

[redflag71]

Agree, I also was underwhelmed by the prosecutor. Will she take this case through til the end or is she one of a team?

I watched the proceedings live. I thought the prosecutor was a bit rough. The defense had to remind her that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do they all have teams when it involves SVU cases?
Can the judge do a deep dive before deciding on a court date? Can he interview anyone, like the two boys?

 

[AnyNameIWish]

Cleaning Lady Hairstylist Addresses Misconstrued Timothy Busfield Claims

The Cleaning Lady's hairstylist Danielle Vigil is speaking out on the allegations she made about Timothy Busfield.

www.usmagazine.com

TY for sharing this. Vigil is the hairdresser who worked on the show.

"Vigil didn’t expect her comments to be used as testimony against Busfield. (New Mexico is a one-party consent state.)

“During the conversation, I also expressed concern about my employment and my ability to support my family,” she said. “This concern was not rooted in fear of Timothy Busfield, but rather a general and reasonable fear that many people experience when speaking with law enforcement, especially when their name may become public. As the primary financial support for my family this concern was significant.”

This is interesting. And it points out the power and money imbalance in Hollywood. Hairdressers, actors...They're a dime a dozen. Now that her name is out there, the hairdresser (and possibly EY, the actor mentioned in the 26 page document) would rather stay out of this entirely since they have nothing to gain from chiming in.

I don't see this as the hairdresser walking back the statements.. just that this line of questions was one-sided in its intention and she also had NO idea it was being recorded (by phone?)... In other words, she regrets being looped into this without her knowledge. I suspect it would stand up in court that she's not comfortable with her statements being used.

 

[IQuestion]

*****The red flag....the parallel words used by molestors to explain their hands on your child.....Tickling, hugging etc.

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7566648057333435678

 

[sds71]

Busfield was indicted on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office said in a press release.


"As with all criminal proceedings, Mr. Busfield is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law," Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a statement. "This case will proceed through the judicial process and is expected to move forward to trial."

Bregman added that the case will be prosecuted by his office's special victims unit, and that no further information would be released at this time.

Actor Timothy Busfield indicted on child sex abuse charges by New Mexico grand jury

Busfield was arrested last month on allegations linked to a show he directed and acted in.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Chimera]

Hmmm... had enough evidence, then ?
So it's, "Gotcha, suckah ! " time ?
There had been rumors for years, so...

Wonder if his wife will file for divorce, now ?
Omo.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

In the U.S. legal system, there doesn't have to be a lot of evidence to indict. It also doesn't mean it will go to trial. But if he's guilty, I hope it goes to trial. JMO.

 

[Deleted member 117884]

In the U.S. legal system, there doesn't have to be a lot of evidence to indict. It also doesn't mean it will go to trial. But if he's guilty, I hope it goes to trial. JMO.

My hunch is it will go to trial. I don't see Tim and Melissa (and I do think she is fully part of his team) will make a deal.

jmopinion

 

[Luna20]

Hmmm... had enough evidence, then ?
So it's, "Gotcha, suckah ! " time ?
There had been rumors for years, so...

Wonder if his wife will file for divorce, now ?
Omo.

Are these new allegations?

 

[Mack the Knife]

Go to about 1:23:50 in THIS VIDEO to hear the defense play a quick clip from the boy's interviews in which they say Busfield did not touch them. Then the defense goes into the details of the parents' past charges. Just rewind to listen to the whole court case. I would suggest you do that.

(Snipped by me)
If you follow this link now, the clip is actually at 1:36:30. First from law enforcement's apparent first interview with VL, in 2024 (transcript by me):
Interviewer: And, you know what's right and wrong, right? You know where people can't touch,
Interviewer (overlapping): what people can't do?
VL (overlapping): Oh yea
Interviewer: Yea, you know that, right? Uh, does Tim ever do that?
VL: No, he's never touched me
VL: Never touched you?
VL: Yea
(Pause, sounds like )
Interviewer: In uh, in like, you know, your private areas,
Interviewer (overlapping): right?
VL (overlapping): Yea
Interviewer (overlapping): Never did that?
VL: Never
Interviewer: (unclear)
Interviewer: Okay

I don't know what the circumstances of this interview were, but there's a lot of background noise, including what sounds like a dog barking/yipping, which is sort of weird.


I’ll also note that the prosecution and people in this thread are both saying that Busfield “admitted” to tickling the boys. Does anyone have a link on that? In the criminal complaint, he says that he doesn't recall ever tickling either of them, but it is possible he did:

I did ask Timothy if he ever had any physical contact with these boys and if he ever picked them up and tickled them.

Timothy said it was highly likely that he would have. Timothy said it was a playful environment, like he wanted. However, Timothy said that the dad, Ronald, would make SL and VL hug him, and he didn't really want them to.

I did ask Timothy what the protocol was for touching children and picking them up and touching them? I also asked if that was allowed? Timothy initially said, "It's not allowed at all. There is no, there's no protocol. I mean, I'm always around people, right? Uh, uh, uh, it would be, it would be, you know, in front of the parents. There would never be a weird moment about it. I don' really remember picking those boys up. Uh, I remember picking up the boy who followed them. I'd pick him up, and he'd be giggling, and that would sort of get him ready to act." Timothy then stated, "I don't remember those boys. No, I don‘t, I don't actually, I don't remember it, it, if it happened, I don't remember overtly tickling the boys ever, but it wouldn't be uncommon for me."