Timothy Busfield Dropped by His Agency as He Faces Sex Abuse Charge

Timothy Busfield has been dropped by his agency.

The actor, 68, is in custody in New Mexico as he faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. On Jan. 14, Innovative Artists confirmed to Deadline that he was no longer working with the agency. He was represented by them for “several” years.

The news came the same day he made his first court appearance after surrendering to police.

A warrant for Busfield’s arrest was issued on Jan. 9 by the Albuquerque Police Department, alleging that he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with twin 11-year-old boys.

An additional allegation was leveled against him in a pretrial detention motion filed on Jan. 14 and obtained by PEOPLE, as Colin Swift reported to law enforcement on Jan. 13 that Busfield allegedly sexually abused Swift’s daughter “several years ago” in Sacramento, Calif.

“While auditioning for [Busfield] at B Street Theatre, the 16-year-old reported that [Busfield] kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates,” per the motion. Busfield allegedly “begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy” and Swift, being a “therapist himself, thought at the time that was the best thing to do,” per the motion.

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Busfield was heavily involved in the B Street Theatre at the time, and in a statement, the theater company told PEOPLE that “legal counsel” was obtained by B Street Theatre “to conduct an internal investigation, and Mr. Busfield has not had any role in the organization since 2001.”

After the new allegation was filed in the pretrial detention motion, Busfield’s civil attorney Larry Stein shared a statement with PEOPLE. “The allegations were never challenged, they were never proved, and they’re 25 years old,” Stein said. “And there doesn’t seem to be any connection between these allegations regarding women 25 years ago and the allegations regarding these young boys.”

Before Busfield turned himself in to the authorities, he maintained his innocence in a video filmed of himself that was obtained by TMZ.

“I’m gonna confront these lies. They’re horrible, they’re all lies,” he said in the video. “I did not do anything to those little boys and I’m gonna fight it. I’m gonna fight it with a great team, and I’m gonna be exonerated, I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies.”

Busfield’s wife, Melissa Gilbert, is standing by her husband, who she wed in 2012. A statement released on her behalf by her rep, Ame Van Iden, on Jan. 13 explicitly stated that the Little House on the Prairie star’s “focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment.”

“Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected,” the statement said.

During his Jan. 14 court appearance in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, a judge confirmed that Busfield is being held without bond and would remain in custody ahead of his pretrial detention hearing, which the judge confirmed would take place in the next five business days. The judge set a deadline of Jan. 29 for his preliminary hearing.