Director and actor Timothy Busfield appears at a hearing in the Second District Judicial Court at the Bernalillo County Courthouse, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital Pool Photo via AP)2026-01-20T16:46:37Z ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A judge ordered that actor Timothy Busfield be released from jail pending trial on child sex abuse charges, at a detention hearing Tuesday.The order from state district court Judge David Murphy is linked to accusations that Busfield inappropriately touched a minor while working as a director on the set of the series The Cleaning Lady.Busfield will be supervised upon release by a pretrial services office in Albuquerque, and can leave the state to return home, the judge said.Busfield, an Emmy Award-winning actor who is known for appearances in The West Wing, Field of Dreams and Thirtysomething, was ordered to be held without bond last week at his first court appearance. Busfield called the allegations lies in a video shared before he turned himself in.The judge acknowledged evidence that Busfield is accused of crimes that are inherently dangerous and involve children, but said prosecutors didnt prove that there are no conditions of release that would protect the publics safety. Theres no evidence of a pattern of criminal conduct, there are no similar allegations involving children in his past, Murphy said. Rather this defendant self-surrendered and submitted himself to this courts jurisdiction, demonstrating compliance with the court order for his arrest. At the hearing, Busfield was handcuffed and dressed in an orange jail uniform in a New Mexico state district court, while wife and actor Melissa Gilbert watched from the court gallery. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Gilbert was tearful while exiting the courtroom after the judge ordered Busfields release. Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls in the 1970s to 80s TV series Little House on the Prairie, was on the list of potential witness submitted ahead of the hearing.Albuquerque police issued a warrant for Busfields arrest earlier this month on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series The Cleaning Lady. According to the criminal complaint, an investigator with the police department says the child reported Busfield touched him on private areas over his clothing on one occasion when he was 7 years old and another time when he was 8. The boys twin brother told authorities he was also touched by Busfield, but did not specify where. He said he didnt say anything because he didnt want to get in trouble.On Monday, Busfields attorneys submitted two brief audio recordings of initial police interviews in which the children say Busfield did not touch them in private areas. The attorneys in a court filing argue that the complaint characterizes the interviews as a failure to disclose abuse, but an unequivocal denial is materially different from a mere absence of disclosure.According to the criminal complaint, one of the boys disclosed during a therapy session that he was inappropriately touched by the shows director. Those records were obtained by police during the investigation.Arguing Tuesday for Busfields continued detention, Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch called evidence of abuse against Busfield strong and specific. The boys allegation are supported by medical findings and by their therapist, Brandenburg-Koch said. Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.She also described a documented pattern of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and grooming behavior by Busfield over the past three decades. Prosecutors also say witnesses have expressed fear regarding retaliation and professional harm.GPS is not going to tell this court if he is around children or talking to witnesses, Brandenburg-Koch said.Busfields attorneys have argued that the allegations emerged only after the boys lost their role in the TV show, creating a financial and retaliatory motive. The filings detailed what the attorneys said was a history of fraud by both the boys father and mother. They cited an investigation by Warner Bros. into the allegations that found the allegations unfounded. Busfield also submitted letters vouching for his character, and his attorneys say he passed an independent polygraph test. Legal experts say New Mexico is among a few states that allow polygraph evidence in criminal cases, but a judge has final say over whether one can be used. There are strict requirements for admission.___Morgan reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico.