“Dexter” star replaces Timothy Busfield on “Law & Order: SVU” after child sexual abuse charges
- - “Dexter” star replaces Timothy Busfield on “Law & Order: SVU” after child sexual abuse charges
Ryan ColemanFebruary 4, 2026 at 2:58 AM
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David Zayas; Timothy Busfield
Michael Loccisano/Getty; Steven Ferdman/Getty
Dexter star David Zayas will replace Timothy Busfield in an upcoming episode of Law & Order: SVU after Busfield was charged with child sexual abuse in New Mexico.
A representative for NBC confirmed to Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday that Zayas, who previously appeared in a 2002 episode of the long-running police procedural, has been recast in the guest role originally played by Busfield. The episode, titled "Corrosive," was slated to air Jan. 15 but was pulled in the wake of Busfield being charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
The episode "Fidelis ad mortem" aired instead, leaving "Corrosive" in an unclear place. Zayas has now shot his parts for the episode, which is set to air Feb. 6.
The cast of 'Law & Order: SVU'
Ralph Bavaro/NBC
A warrant was issued for Busfield's arrest Jan. 10. According to a copy of the warrant reviewed by EW, a pair of twin actors accused Busfield of inappropriately touching them while on the set of the Fox crime drama The Cleaning Lady, which he executive-produced.
The young actors spoke up about the alleged misconduct as early as November 2024, when a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital requested an investigation after the boys' mother claimed that Busfield "groomed" her sons on set between 2022 and 2024.
Busfield has maintained that he is innocent.
Busfield surrendered to police on Jan. 13, stating in a video obtained by TMZ that the allegations against him are "all lies." He added, "I did not do anything to those little boys, and I'm going to fight it. I'm going to fight it with a great team, and I'm going to be exonerated."
Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert, who has been married to Busfield since 2013, rallied around her husband the day he turned himself in. Gilbert's publicist Ame Van Iden told EW that Gilbert "stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time." Gilbert attended Busfield's first appearance in a Bernalillo County court on Jan. 20.
Timothy Busfield's mugshot
Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center
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The SVU guest spot isn't the only role Busfield has lost since the allegations against him were made public.
Amazon MGM Studios plans to digitally remove Busfield from the upcoming romantic comedy You Deserve Each Other. Busfield's character Bernie, the father of star Meghann Fahy's Naomi, will no longer appear in the film alongside an ensemble featuring Penn Badgley, Justin Long, Ana Gasteyer, and more.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
