David Zayas, known for his role in “Dexter,” is stepping in for Timothy Busfield in an upcoming episode of “Law & Order: SVU.” Busfield’s departure comes after he faced serious charges of child sexual abuse in New Mexico. According to a representative from NBC, Zayas has officially taken over the guest role initially intended for Busfield in the episode titled “Corrosive,” which was originally scheduled to air on January 15 but was postponed due to the allegations against Busfield, who has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse.
Following Busfield’s charges, the episode “Fidelis ad mortem” aired instead, raising questions about whether “Corrosive” would be shown at all. Zayas has already completed filming his parts for the new episode, which is now set to be released on February 6.
The legal troubles for Busfield began when a warrant was issued for his arrest on January 10. Two young actors claimed that Busfield inappropriately touched them while on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” a Fox crime drama he executive-produced. The allegations surfaced in November 2024, prompting an investigation initiated by a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital after the boys’ mother expressed concerns about Busfield’s behavior on set from 2022 to 2024.
Busfield has categorically denied the allegations, asserting his innocence and vowing to fight the charges with a strong legal team. He surrendered to the police on January 13 and described the accusations against him as “all lies,” maintaining that he would be exonerated.
Additionally, the fallout from the allegations has impacted Busfield’s career. Amazon MGM Studios has announced plans to digitally remove him from the cast of an upcoming romantic comedy titled “You Deserve Each Other,” where he played a character named Bernie, father to star Meghann Fahy’s character.
In light of these developments, the involvement of David Zayas in “Law & Order: SVU” marks a significant change for the series, reinforcing the ongoing commitment of the show to provide engaging content while addressing serious issues within the industry.