Melissa Gilbert Bought 'Christmas Gifts' for Husband Timothy Busfield's Alleged Child Victims, Arrest Warrant States

TheImageDirect.com Melissa Gilbert (left) and Timothy Busfield (right) in June 2023.

TheImageDirect.com

NEED TO KNOW

  • Melissa Gilbert bought "Christmas gifts" for husband Timothy Busfield's alleged sex crimes victims, 11-year-old twins, an arrest warrant states

  • Police said the couple told authorities during an investigation "that they did buy the two boys Christmas gifts and were together [at] several social functions"

  • Busfield is facing an arrest warrant tied to two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse

Melissa Gilbertbought "Christmas gifts" for the young boys who were alleged to have been thesubject of sex crimesby her husband,Timothy Busfield, according to an arrest warrant.

The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued the arrest warrant on Friday, Jan. 9, alleging that Busfield, 68, engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two boys, 11-year-old twins whose identities were withheld from the public. (One of the minors alleged that the incidents began when he was 7 years old.)

In the warrant, obtained by PEOPLE, Officer Marvin Brown stated that he determined Busfield and Gilbert, 61, "did have a relationship" with the two victims — identified in the document as "SL" and "VL" —  "and their family outside of work."

"They advised that they did buy the two boys Christmas gifts and were together [at] several social functions," Brown wrote in the arrest warrant, referring to statements Busfield and Gilbert made during an interview held amid an investigation.

In the conclusion of his findings, Brown mentioned the Christmas gift-giving again, writing that Busfield "would invite the family to off-set gatherings, with his wife buying Christmas gifts to foster closeness."

Representatives for both Gilbert and Busfield have not responded to PEOPLE's repeated requests for comment.

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Roy Rochlin/Getty  Melissa Gilbert in 2020.

Roy Rochlin/Getty

An investigation into Busfield, who is known for his role as Danny Concannon onThe West Wing, began in November 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) alerted police about alleged sexual abuse, according to the arrest warrant.

The victims' parents told Brown that the minors were child actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX seriesThe Cleaning Lady, where he served as a director. (The television program ran from January 2022 until June 2025.)

The parents were advised by an attorney to take the children to UNMH, where they said professionals suggested the boys "were groomed," per the warrant. It was later determined, however, that the case did not meet authorities' acceptance criteria at the time.

Later, in October 2025, the victims' mother filed a police report and told Child Protective Services (CPS) that "her children both disclosed that there was sexual abuse by Timothy from around November 2022 to Spring 2024." However, according to the warrant, she was told that because physical abuse had not occurred, nothing could be done.

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During an investigation, Busfield allegedly told police that the parents were upset their sons had been replaced with a younger actor who auditioned, according to the warrant. Shortly after, the actor got a call from Warner Bros., informing him they were investigating a complaint.

In a statement to PEOPLE, a Warner Bros. Television representative said, "The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action."

"[We] have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement," the spokesperson added.

Before the recent arrest warrant, Busfield faced prior sexual assault allegations dating back to 1994, according to the warrant. Those did not result in charges.

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Melissa Gilbert (left) and Timothy Busfield (right) in 2023.

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Gilbert and Busfield married in 2013, a year after reconnecting at a bar.

At the time, Gilbert was newly single after splitting from ex-husband Bruce Boxleitner, whom she was married to from 1995 to 2011. Prior to that, she was married to Bo Brinkman from 1988 to 1994.

Last April, Gilbertcelebrated her 12th wedding anniversary, marking the occasion with atributeto Busfield on Instagram.

Weeks before her husband's arrest warrant was issued, Gilbert spoke out about child sex abuse in a social media post.

In November, Gilbert shared a throwback photo of herself and reflected on herLittle House on the Prairieexperience, when she filmed with an older love interest, though she did not allege any improper behavior by the actor.

Gilbert shared the reflective post afterMegyn Kellymade commentsabout convicted child sex offenderJeffrey Epstein.

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