Federal authorities are now involved in the Timothy Busfield child sex abuse case … TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for the Albuquerque Police Department tells TMZ … the U.S. Marshals Service is assisting APD as officers work to locate Busfield and take him into custody in connection with the allegations.

As we previously reported … Melissa Gilbert‘s husband was accused of sexually abusing underage boys who were child actors on “The Cleaning Lady” while he was directing the show. An investigation into Busfield began in November 2024, and a warrant for his arrest was issued Friday.

We’re told Busfield is not currently in custody, and law enforcement has not provided a timeline for an arrest. His whereabouts have not been publicly disclosed.

During a police interview, Busfield told detectives the show’s lead actress, Élodie Yung, claimed the mother of the two boys wanted revenge after her children were not invited back for the show’s final season.

Michael McKee, the Illinois surgeon charged with murdering his ex-wife and her husband inside their Ohio home, agreed to be shipped back to Ohio to face murder charges … but he says he’s innocent.

McKee appeared in court Monday after his Saturday arrest in Illinois and waived extradition back to Ohio, where he is accused of gunning down Spencer and Monique Tepe in the early hours of Dec. 30 with the couple’s two young children in the home.

Check out this footage from inside an Illinois court room … McKee is shackled and wearing a mustard prison jumpsuit. The only time he speaks is when he states his full name.

As we reported … cops say they traced a car seen near the home around the time of the murders back to McKee in Illinois, where he worked as a vascular surgeon.

He was married to Monique for a couple years before they divorced in 2017 … she married Spencer in 2020 and they had two kids, who were unharmed in the shooting in suburban Columbus, Ohio.

2026 is already popping off, and we’re calling it now — “TMZ After Dark” is the hottest party in town, doubling the chaos this past weekend and going absolutely wild!

“Love Island” S7 stars Charlie Georgio and Austin Shepard ran Friday night, while “Love & Hip Hop”’s Nikki Mudarris held it down Saturday … and both nights brought nonstop energy from start to finish.

The Love Islanders brought villa-level chaos Friday night … kicking things off at The Burgundy Room before rolling into Saddle Ranch for surprise quesadillas and watermelon shots!

Saturday went even harder — Nikki and Neo Da Matrix hit Power House, kept it moving at Beaches WeHo, then shut it all the way down at Saddle Ranch … where Nikki hopped on the bull and turned the night into an instant classic.