Melissa Gilbert Asked Director of Photography to Write Support Letter for Timothy Busfield

NEED TO KNOW During Timothy Busfield's pretrial detention hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Director of Photography on The Cleaning Lady, Alan Caudillo, took the stand He worked on the Fox show with Busfield and the alleged two minor victims. He revealed that Melissa Gilbert asked him to write a letter of support for her husband Busfield has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13) and one count of child abuse and the judge ordered he be released pending trial A former co-worker of Timothy Busfield took the stand as a witness at the actor’s pretrial detention hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 20. The defense called Alan Caudillo — who acted as the Director of Photography on The Cleaning Lady when Busfield, 61, was a director for the show — to testify about his experience on the set where Busfield allegedly sexually abused two minor boys. Caudillo was one of 75 people who submitted letters in support of Busfield as a judge prepared to rule on whether Busfield would be kept in custody or released while awaiting trial. According to Caudillo’s testimony, Busfield's wife Melissa Gilbert, who also wrote a letter for her husband, reached out and “asked if I would write something” ahead of the hearing. “I said, ‘Yes,’” Caudillo explained. “I wrote it and sent it — I think I sent it to Melissa, and then she forwarded it to [Busfield’s legal team].” Busfield was ultimately released on his own recognizance with conditions pending trial. Gilbert, 61, was in the courtroom for the hearing as well, sitting alongside several loved ones, including her 89-year-old mom Barbara Cowan, her son Michael Boxleitner and Busfield's brother Buck Busfield. The West Wing actor first appeared before a judge on Jan. 14, one day after he was officially charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13) and one count of child abuse, per prosecutors. On Jan. 9, the Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for Busfield’s arrest. Four days later, he surrendered to authorities. He was officially charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The warrant alleged that he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with 11-year-old twin boys. It stated that the victims were child actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady. Shortly turning himself in, Busfield spoke out in a video obtained by TMZ, stating that he "did not do anything to those little boys." "I got the call Friday night, I had to get a lawyer. Saturday I got in the car, drove 2,000 miles to Albuquerque. I'm gonna confront these lies. They're horrible," he said. "They're all lies and 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." In the defense’s response in opposition to the state's motion for pretrial detention, Gilbert asked the court to release Busfield pending trial, calling him her "love, my rock, my partner in business and life.” “He is my comfort and my council,” the Little House on the Prairie alum continued. “His joy, humor and quick wit bring sparkle to my life," she wrote. "Tim is, quite simply, the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family." "I can tell you, and anyone, that I know Tim better and more intimately than anything in his life ever has. Conversely, he knows me in the same way," she added. "Tim has the strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known. He has dedicated his spiritual self to always being of service to others. He starts every day with kindness and compassion." It later concluded: "I am trying to tow a line between logic and all the feelings swirling through me. I began this letter with logic, but now the feelings have taken over. I can't help it. I only want this extraordinary man safe and whole. So, I will close by asking you to please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart, I am relying on your to protect him for me." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. At the end of the hearing on Jan. 20, the judge allowed Busfield's release with conditions while he awaits trial as he faces charges of child sex abuse. "Given the lack of a pattern involving children in this case, I think that can be remedied through different conditions of release," the judge said in part while delivering his decision. "I don't find that there's been sufficient presentation that this defendant may commit new crimes if released pending trial. There's no evidence of a pattern of criminal conduct. There are no similar allegations involving children in his past. There's no evidence of non-compliance with prior court orders." "Rather, this defendant self-surrendered and submitted himself to this court's jurisdiction, demonstrating compliance with the court order for his arrest," the judge continued. "I cannot find that the state has proven by clear and convincing evidence that there are no release conditions that would reasonably protect the safety of any younger person in the community." After being released on his own recognizance, Busfield has been ordered to appear for all his future court dates and is not allowed to possess any firearms or dangerous weapons, consume any alcohol or illegal drugs, have contact with the alleged victims or their families, discuss the case with any witnesses or have unsupervised contact with any minor children. The judge is allowing Busfield to travel, but he will be under the supervision of Pretrial Services in New Mexico and must notify the court of his address. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.