Timothy Busfield is insisting he’ll clear his name — but the fight is reportedly getting expensive fast.
The West Wing and thirtysomething alum, 68, is facing criminal charges in New Mexico, and sources claim the legal bills are already putting serious pressure on his finances and his household with wife Melissa Gilbert.
Busfield was recently indicted by a grand jury on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child. He has been accused of misconduct involving twin boys, now 11, tied to events alleged to have happened in 2022 while he worked on the TV series The Cleaning Lady.
Busfield has denied the allegations, saying he did not do anything to the children and plans to fight the case.
Behind the scenes, an insider claims the cost of defending himself is piling up at a pace that could reach “many hundreds of thousands” of dollars. The same source suggested neither Busfield nor Gilbert — a Little House on the Prairie icon — are sitting on the kind of Hollywood fortune that makes a long legal war painless.
RadarOnline reported Busfield’s net worth at about $1 million and Gilbert’s assets at roughly $500,000, though those figures are estimates.
The insider claimed the couple is already thinking about major lifestyle changes if the case drags on, including downsizing their home and stepping away to a quieter, more modest life once the ordeal is over.
Busfield’s attorney has publicly pushed back hard, saying there’s no evidence of wrongdoing and arguing the accusations are rooted in retaliation. According to reports, the actor told police he believed the children’s mother was angry after the kids weren’t cast for the show’s final season.
His lawyer also said Busfield voluntarily took an independent polygraph test about the allegations and passed.
Meanwhile, sources insist Gilbert is all-in on supporting her husband — emotionally and financially. One insider claimed she has paused work opportunities and distanced herself from people in the industry who haven’t rallied behind Busfield.
That same source said some friends are urging Gilbert to protect herself, warning that standing so firmly beside him is a huge personal and professional risk while the case remains unresolved.
Busfield has not been convicted of any crime, and the allegations remain unproven.
