Melissa Gilbert says she was aware of earlier allegations involving her husband, Timothy Busfield, long before they married in 2013—and that those claims did not come as a surprise when his latest legal troubles emerged.
During her April 6 interview with George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America, Gilbert addressed two past accusations referenced in the current criminal investigation against Busfield. According to Albuquerque police, those earlier allegations date back to the 1990s and 2012.
“I need to make something abundantly clear,” Gilbert said. “These allegations have been out in the ether for a very long time.”
Gilbert explained that she discussed the allegations with Busfield when their relationship began and said she did not enter the marriage without knowing about his past. “When Tim and I got together, the internet existed. I didn’t go into my relationship blind. I’m neither naive nor am I complicit,” she said.
According to Gilbert, she confronted Busfield directly about the allegations years ago and believes his version of events. “I talked to him about it. I asked him questions about it. I heard his side of the story — which nobody has ever heard — which is the truth,” she said.
Gilbert added that Busfield plans to speak publicly about the older accusations eventually, though she said, “That is not now.”
The earlier incidents resurfaced after Busfield was indicted in February on four felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor. The charges involve allegations that Busfield engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two boys under 13, whom he met while directing episodes of The Cleaning Lady.
Police documents tied to that investigation referenced two prior allegations. One dates to 1994 and involves a 17-year-old extra on the film Little Big League. According to the warrant, the teenager later filed a lawsuit alleging Busfield supplied her with alcohol, groped her, and attempted to have sex with her in a trailer.
Busfield denied those claims and filed a countersuit for extortion. No criminal charges were filed, and the legal dispute was eventually settled.
The second allegation stems from 2012, when a 28-year-old woman accused Busfield of inappropriate touching during an encounter at a movie theater in Los Angeles. Prosecutors declined to pursue the case, citing limited evidence. Busfield described the interaction as consensual, according to the warrant.
Gilbert’s latest comments come after she previously called Busfield’s January arrest “the most traumatizing experience of our lives.” She has repeatedly defended her husband in public statements, in court filings, and in an emotional letter to the judge that described him as “my sweet husband.”
Busfield surrendered to police in January, was released later that month under court supervision, and pleaded not guilty to all four felony charges. His trial is currently scheduled for May 2027.
If you suspect child sexual abuse or trafficking, help is available. Contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453), available 24/7 and confidential in more than 170 languages. Reports involving child exploitation or trafficking can also be made to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline at 1-800-THE-LOST or online at cybertipline.org.
