Melissa Gilbert Feels ‘Very Excited’ After Husband Timothy Busfield Is Released from Jail (Exclusive) By Charna Flam and Christine Pelisek

Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert are feeling positive following his release from custody.

The West Wing actor, 68, was released from Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Tuesday, Jan. 20, one week after he surrendered to authorities and was charged with child sex abuse crimes. He also denied the claims against him.

Earlier Tuesday, Busfield appeared in a two-hour pretrial detention hearing, where a judge ruled he would be released on his own recognizance and with conditions while he awaits trial.

Busfield’s civil attorney, Larry Stein, exclusively tells PEOPLE that the actor “feels wonderful” following the ruling. 

“He can reunite with Melissa,” Stein says, noting that Gilbert, 61, is “very, very excited.” 

The actress was in the courtroom for the hearing, alongside her mom Barbara Cowan, 89, her son Michael Boxleitner and Busfield’s brother, Buck.

After the judge announced Busfield’s release, Gilbert was seen in the courtroom crying and whispering, “Thank you, God.”

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Her whispers in court followed her previous support for Busfield, whom she married in April 2013. On Jan. 13, the day Busfield was charged, Gilbert’s representative Ame Van Iden issued a statement on her behalf that said, “Melissa stands with and supports her husband.”

Then, on Jan. 16, the Little House on the Prairie star was one of 75 people who wrote a letter in support of Busfield’s legal team’s opposition to the state’s motion for pretrial detention.

Her letter expressed her admiration for her husband, before she concluded with the plea: “Please, please, take care of my sweet husband.”

On Jan. 9, the Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for Busfield’s arrest. Four days later, Busfield surrendered to authorities and was officially charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13) and one count of child abuse, per prosecutors.

Busfield allegedly engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two boys, 11-year-old twins, whose identities were withheld from the public, according to the warrant. 

Before turning himself in, he said in a video obtained by TMZ that he “did not do anything to those little boys and I’m gonna fight it.”

During the Jan. 20 ruling, the judge cited Busfield’s surrender, saying, “This defendant self-surrendered and submitted himself to this court’s jurisdiction, demonstrating compliance with the court order for his arrest.”

“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,” the judge continued.

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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.

He is allowed to travel; however, 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.