Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield are navigating what’s next as the actor faces child sex abuse charges.

The West Wing alum, 68, was released from jail on Tuesday, Jan. 20, after surrendering and officially being charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13) and one count of child abuse on Jan. 13.

“We couldn’t have done it without people volunteering to give us information,” Busfield’s civil lawyer Larry Stein tells PEOPLE on Wednesday, Jan. 21. “I got totally unsolicited emails and calls and letters from people. We did our work to try to get it together, but the outpouring of support and the number of people who are willing to put themselves on the line for him is really remarkable, because it’s a very brave thing to do. Because just being associated with it and supporting him can cause a certain number of people to think negatively about you, unfortunately. They really put their reputations and livelihood on the line, and it just shows how much they believe in Tim and the support that he’s getting.”

Stein says that Gilbert and Busfield are “still in shock that it happened to them and they’re still distressed.” He adds, “But obviously they’re in a better mood than they were yesterday before he was released.”

“We’re taking one day at a time,” Stein concludes.

On Jan. 9, the Albuquerque Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Busfield, which alleged that he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with 11-year-old twin boys that he met on the set of Fox’s The Cleaning Lady, where they were child actors and Busfield served as a director.

According to the warrant, one of the victims alleged that the incidents began when he was 7 years old.

The Field of Dreams actor turned himself in four days later, proclaiming his innocence in a video obtained by TMZ moments before surrendering: “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.”

At his pretrial detention hearing in a New Mexico District court on Jan. 20, the prosecution and defense spent more than two hours presenting their arguments regarding whether Busfield should remain in custody or be released while awaiting trial. Ultimately, the judge ruled that Busfield would be released on his own recognizance with conditions.

“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.”

Following his release, Busfield must 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.

Gilbert, who has been married to Busfield since 2013 and was present in the courtroom on Jan. 20. When the decision of his release was announced, she whispered, “Thank you, God.”

In the days leading up to the hearing, 75 people wrote letters in support of Busfield’s release, including Gilbert, who called her husband “my 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.”

Her letter 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.”