David Zayas replaces Timothy Busfield in ‘Law & Order SVU’ after actor’s arrest for child sexual abuse allegations

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of child and sexual abuse, reader’s discretion is advised.

Actor Timothy Busfield, who had been starring in the recent episodes of ‘Law & Order: SVU’, however, has been removed from the show. The actor had recently come under public scrutiny after allegations of child and sexual abuse had been made against him in New Mexico. Following his removal from the show, as per recent reports, he has officially been replaced.

David Zayas replaces Timothy Busfield in ‘Law & Order: SVU’

According to reports from Give Me My Remote, Timothy Busfield’s guest role in ‘Svu’s upcoming episode of ‘Corrosive’ has been removed. ‘Dexter’ actor David Zayas has been confirmed to replace the actor in the upcoming episode. The air date had earlier been listed as January 15; the episode had been scrapped after Busfield’s allegations and arrest came to light. It was replaced by the episode ‘Fidelis ad mortem.’




Zayas had earlier appeared in ‘SVU’ back in 2002 during one of their episodes in a guest role. The new date for the episode release has been set for February 6.

About Timothy Busfield’s charges

On January 10, an arrest warrant was issued against Busfield after two twin actors alleged that the actor and producer had touched them inappropriately without their consent. As per the allegations, the incidents occurred on the sets of the popular crime drama ‘The Cleaning Lady’, which Timothy worked on as an executive producer.

The allegations, however, first came to light in November 2024, but an arrest warrant was issued only recently. ‘The West Wing’ star has claimed that he is innocent and that the allegations are false. After the arrest warrant was issued, as per TMZ, Busfield officially surrendered to the police on January 13. A video of the actor was also shared online where he is heard stating that “"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.”

Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, assault, or abuse, please seek immediate help. Reach out to a mental health specialist, NGO, or trusted individual. Several helplines are available to offer assistance.