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While calling for the release of Timothy Busfield awaiting trial on child sexual abuse charges, lawyers for the director and actor argued that the parents of the minor accuser were motivated by money and revenge, citing their “unusually shady” pasts.
The West Wing alum, 68, was charged in New Mexico with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse after he turned himself in to Albuquerque police on Tuesday, January 13. According to an arrest warrant, Busfield is accused of engaging in illegal sexual acts with 11-year-old twin boys who were child actors on the set of the Fox series “Cleaning Women,” which Busfield directed.
Busfield, who is married to actress Melissa Gilbert, has denied all child molestation crimes and said in a video obtained by TMZ that he intends to “stand up to these lies” and “fight” them.
In a new opposition court filing filed Friday, Jan. 16, Mr. Busfield’s lawyers took aim at the accuser’s parents, Angel Lasalle and Ronald Rodis, and opposed the state’s motion for pretrial detention, citing their “alarming” history of fraud and fraud. The filing also alleges that LaSalle was previously heard saying, “I was going to ‘get revenge on Tim Busfield.'” ”
In a filing obtained by PEOPLE on Saturday, January 17, Busfield’s attorneys argue that “the State has not provided any credible evidence, only allegations made by witnesses with a documented history of fraud and financial exploitation, denied by the studio’s comprehensive investigation, and refuted by witnesses and objective risk assessments.”
The state’s case against Busfield is based “almost entirely” on the account of a “two-step parent” who is “not a neutral observer,” the actor’s lawyers argue in a filing.
The filing refers to the child actors’ alleged recasting in 2024 for “Cleaning Women,” which aired from January 2022 to June 2025, and says it “came to light only after losing their twin roles and in consultation with civil attorneys, resulting in clear financial and retaliatory motives.”
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“The motive must be evaluated in light of the couple’s well-documented history of fraud and dishonesty,” the filing states.
The filing focuses first on Mr. Rodis, the father of the twins, arguing that his past actions demonstrate “his willingness to manipulate the narrative when money is at stake,” and alleging that Mr. Rodis is “exploiting the crisis to generate personal financial gain.”
The filing states that Rodis is “a former attorney who was convicted of federal conspiracy and wire fraud and was later disbarred after being indicted in a multi-million dollar scheme to use his law license to defraud and profit from vulnerable victims.”
Rodis previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after the scheme came to light that “defrauded more than 1,500 homeowners of approximately $6 million,” according to the filing.
The filing also includes testimony from a cinematographer on the set of The Cleaning Women, who described Rodis as “forceful and manipulative” and said he “frequently encouraged and instructed children to hug people on set, including Mr. Busfield.”
The accuser’s mother, LaSalle, has a “similarly disturbing history,” with “multiple civil judgments against her for fraudulent and dishonest conduct,” the filing states. She was accused of “various allegations, including fraud, diversion, and fraudulent transfers,” including allegedly illegally repossessing a Bentley after selling it and writing bad checks to a Las Vegas casino, according to the filing.
“The facts of the matter are that the parents driving the charges against Mr. Busfield have very checkered pasts that cast great doubt on the veracity of their statements,” the filing states.
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Ms. Busfield’s lawyers also argue that her parents were motivated not only by money but also by revenge.
People could not reach attorneys for Mr. Rodis and Mr. LaSalle.
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The investigation into Basfield began on November 1, 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital reported the alleged sexual abuse to police. A separate independent investigation conducted by Warner Bros. Television Studios in 2025 “found not only that the allegations against Mr. Busfield were unsubstantiated, but also that Angel LaSalle, upon hearing that his children might not return for Season 4, told the show’s lead actor that he would ‘get revenge on Tim Busfield,'” according to the filing. ”
A representative for Warner Bros. previously said in a statement to PEOPLE, “The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors who appear in our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate and take appropriate action as appropriate.[We]have and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453 or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. Our hotline is available 24/7 in over 170 languages.
