Josh Duggar confronted as much as 20 years in jail after being convicted of possessing and receiving little one porn in late 2021. He was formally sentenced to somewhat greater than 12 years in Might 2022 and has since appealed the judgement.
In the future after information broke in April 2021 that the 19 Youngsters and Counting alum was arrested in Arkansas on the kid pornography prices, Us Weekly confirmed that he was indicted on the counts.
The U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace within the Western District of Arkansas revealed the character of the costs in a press launch on April 30, 2021.
“A Springdale man was arrested yesterday for receiving and possessing materials depicting the sexual abuse of kids,” the discharge started. “In keeping with courtroom paperwork, Joshua James Duggar, 33, allegedly used the web to obtain little one sexual abuse materials. Duggar allegedly possessed this materials, a few of which depicts the sexual abuse of kids below the age of 12, in Might 2019.”
Josh, the eldest little one of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, was detained with out bond. He was launched from jail in Might 2021 and was allowed to see his kids with supervised visits — although he was not allowed to stay with them. The information of Josh’s April arrest got here days after his spouse, Anna Duggar, introduced that the pair predict their seventh little one.
“It’s a GIRL!!!!!” Anna wrote by way of Instagram on April 24, 2021. “We’re overjoyed to announce child seven is on the way in which and we are able to’t wait to carry her in our arms this fall!”
The twosome, who wed in 2008, share seven children: Mackynzie (born October 2009), Michael (June 2011), Marcus (June 2013), Meredith (July 2015), Mason (September 2017) and Maryella (November 2019) Madyson Lilly (born October 2021).
Whereas the Duggars have acknowledged Josh’s conduct was mistaken, a number of relations — together with Anna, Michelle and Jim Bob — have publicly supported Josh and attended his trial. In Might 2022, Michelle and Anna despatched letters to the choose praising him and pleading that he get the minimal sentence of 5 years.
The previous TLC character is not any stranger to controversy. Again in 2015, he made headlines when resurfaced courtroom paperwork revealed he molested 5 ladies — 4 of which had been associated to him — between 2002 and 2003. He was 14 and 15 years outdated on the time.
“Twelve years in the past, as a younger teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I’m extraordinarily sorry and deeply remorse. I damage others, together with my household and shut pals,” he stated in a press release by way of Fb on the time. “We spoke with the authorities the place I confessed my wrongdoing, and my mother and father organized for me and people affected by my actions to obtain counseling. I understood that if I continued down this mistaken street that I might find yourself ruining my life.”
Josh and Anna’s marriage hit one other tough patch that August after his Ashley Madison account was revealed. He subsequently sought remedy and the couple started counseling.
“Because the residential remedy program ended, we’ve got been working with an expert marriage and household counselor to take vital steps towards therapeutic,” Josh and Anna wrote in a press release in March 2016. “As the long run unfolds, we’re taking in the future at a time and we’re grateful on your continued prayers for each of us and our candy kids.”
After delays, Josh was sentenced on Might 25, 2022. Scroll via for the whole lot we all know concerning the case.
That is an ongoing article that was initially revealed on April 30, 2021, and final up to date on November 30, 2022.
Credit score: Courtesy Josh Duggar/Twitter
Josh Duggar’s Little one Pornography Case: All the pieces We Know In regards to the Trial
Josh Duggar confronted as much as 20 years in jail after being convicted of possessing and receiving little one porn in late 2021. He was formally sentenced to somewhat greater than 12 years in Might 2022 and has since appealed the judgement.
In the future after information broke in April 2021 that the 19 Youngsters and Counting alum was arrested in Arkansas on the kid pornography prices, Us Weekly confirmed that he was indicted on the counts.
The U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace within the Western District of Arkansas revealed the character of the costs in a press launch on April 30, 2021.
“A Springdale man was arrested yesterday for receiving and possessing materials depicting the sexual abuse of kids,” the discharge started. “In keeping with courtroom paperwork, Joshua James Duggar, 33, allegedly used the web to obtain little one sexual abuse materials. Duggar allegedly possessed this materials, a few of which depicts the sexual abuse of kids below the age of 12, in Might 2019.”
Josh, the eldest little one of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, was detained with out bond. He was launched from jail in Might 2021 and was allowed to see his kids with supervised visits — although he was not allowed to stay with them. The information of Josh’s April arrest got here days after his spouse, Anna Duggar, introduced that the pair predict their seventh little one.
“It’s a GIRL!!!!!” Anna wrote by way of Instagram on April 24, 2021. “We’re overjoyed to announce child seven is on the way in which and we are able to’t wait to carry her in our arms this fall!”
The twosome, who wed in 2008, share seven children: Mackynzie (born October 2009), Michael (June 2011), Marcus (June 2013), Meredith (July 2015), Mason (September 2017) and Maryella (November 2019) Madyson Lilly (born October 2021).
Whereas the Duggars have acknowledged Josh’s conduct was mistaken, a number of relations — together with Anna, Michelle and Jim Bob — have publicly supported Josh and attended his trial. In Might 2022, Michelle and Anna despatched letters to the choose praising him and pleading that he get the minimal sentence of 5 years.
The previous TLC character is not any stranger to controversy. Again in 2015, he made headlines when resurfaced courtroom paperwork revealed he molested 5 ladies — 4 of which had been associated to him — between 2002 and 2003. He was 14 and 15 years outdated on the time.
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“Twelve years in the past, as a younger teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I’m extraordinarily sorry and deeply remorse. I damage others, together with my household and shut pals,” he stated in a press release by way of Fb on the time. “We spoke with the authorities the place I confessed my wrongdoing, and my mother and father organized for me and people affected by my actions to obtain counseling. I understood that if I continued down this mistaken street that I might find yourself ruining my life.”
Josh and Anna’s marriage hit one other tough patch that August after his Ashley Madison account was revealed. He subsequently sought remedy and the couple started counseling.
“Because the residential remedy program ended, we’ve got been working with an expert marriage and household counselor to take vital steps towards therapeutic,” Josh and Anna wrote in a press release in March 2016. “As the long run unfolds, we’re taking in the future at a time and we’re grateful on your continued prayers for each of us and our candy kids.”
After delays, Josh was sentenced on Might 25, 2022. Scroll via for the whole lot we all know concerning the case.
That is an ongoing article that was initially revealed on April 30, 2021, and final up to date on November 30, 2022.
Credit score: Washington County Police Dept.
The Arrest
Us confirmed on April 29 that Josh was arrested and brought into custody on the Washington County jail in Arkansas.
Credit score: Courtesy Josh Duggar/Twitter
The April 30 Listening to
Throughout his April 30 listening to, Josh appeared by way of Zoom with lawyer Justin Gelfand. Sporting a lightweight and darkish gray-striped jail apparel, he smiled as his legal professional entered a not responsible plea on his behalf.
Credit score: Courtesy Josh Duggar/Twitter
The Bond
Josh is at present being held with out bond, however he can request to be launched throughout a Might 5 listening to.
“I may even advise you that any proposed third-party custodian, it will must be in a residence, the place there aren’t any minors within the dwelling,” the choose advised Josh and his lawyer on April 30. “So, you all would must be on the lookout for someone that can guarantee compliance with situations of launch and might guarantee to the courtroom that there aren’t any minors within the dwelling, or that may be visiting unsupervised.”
Credit score: Courtesy Josh Duggar/Twitter
The Fees
“Duggar is charged by indictment with receiving and possessing little one pornography,” the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace’s press launch learn. If he’s discovered responsible, the fact TV character faces as much as 20 years in jail and $250,000 in fines for every rely.
Credit score: Courtesy Josh Duggar/Twitter
The Household Response
“We respect your continued prayers for our household at the moment,” Jim Bob and Michelle stated in a press release to Us by way of their household rep on April 30. “The accusations introduced in opposition to Joshua as we speak are very critical. It’s our prayer that the reality, it doesn’t matter what it’s, will come to gentle, and that it will all be resolved in a well timed method. We love Josh and Anna and proceed to wish for his or her household.”
Josh’s sister Jill Duggar and her husband, Derick Dillard, who aren’t on the perfect phrases with the household, launched a press release of their very own, studying, “We simply discovered this info yesterday. It is extremely unhappy.”
Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo later took to Instagram to react: “We’re disturbed to listen to of the costs in opposition to Josh. “Whereas this case should undergo the authorized system, we need to make it clear that we completely condemn any type of little one abuse and absolutely help authorities and judicial course of of their pursuit of justice.”
Credit score: Courtesy of Anna Duggar/Instagram
Might Listening to
Josh was granted a launch on bond for Might 6 following his Might 5 digital listening to. The choose, nevertheless, acknowledged that he couldn’t return dwelling as a result of there are “six minor kids that stay in your own home.” His different launch situations embrace limitless contact together with his children so long as his spouse is current. The truth star can’t be round every other kids, nevertheless, and will likely be monitored by way of GPS at any time when he leaves the house confinement at pastor Lacount Reber and Maria Reber’s dwelling, the place he’s staying. He can go to church, work, authorized appointments and obtain medical care.
Credit score: Patsy Lynch/Shutterstock
Bump within the Highway
Josh’s legal professional filed a movement on June 17, asking for his trial to be pushed from its July 2021 begin to February 2022, claiming it’ll take that lengthy for his or her forensic professional to undergo the units that comprise proof pertaining to the case. The lawyer additionally claimed that Josh’s staff didn’t obtain a few of the further discovery information from prosecutors, together with stories from exterior investigators who’re additionally concerned within the case, which they may want time to assessment earlier than going to courtroom.
“Remarkably, the Authorities additionally just lately disclosed — for the primary time and solely by means of a screenshot of an unidentified database — that two different Arkansas state legislation enforcement businesses allegedly participated on this investigation at the very least in a minimal capability,” the legal professional wrote within the courtroom paperwork obtained by Us. “The search warrant functions make no reference to those businesses, the Particular Agent’s testimony on the detention listening to made no point out of those businesses, and the rest of the invention doesn’t reveal which businesses participated and what, if something, these businesses did.”
Credit score: Courtesy of Anna Duggar/Instagram
The Extension
Paperwork obtained by Us in June 2021 confirmed {that a} choose signed off on Josh’s request to maneuver the trial date again — however solely by 4 months. Pretrial proceedings had been rescheduled to November 18, 2021, with the trial starting on November 30.
Credit score: Courtesy of Anna Duggar/Instagram
Subsequent Steps
Josh’s attorneys filed a movement to dismiss two of the costs in opposition to him — together with one rely of receiving little one pornography and one rely of possessing little one pornography — claiming in August 2021 courtroom docs that prosecutors didn’t protect proof that would probably show his innocence. One other movement requested to dismiss the indictment as a result of two performing secretaries on the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety had not been formally appointed on the time of Josh’s investigation.
Credit score: YouTube
Proof Ruling
In September 2021, federal prosecutors filed a response to the defendant’s movement one month prior, by which Josh’s authorized staff requested a choose to suppress “images legislation enforcement took of Duggar’s palms and ft whereas requiring him to pose for the pictures in custody.” His attorneys are claiming that the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety investigators didn’t have a warrant, so they need to not have been allowed to take these footage.
Nevertheless, the federal prosecutors on the case claimed of their September submitting that there is no such thing as a foundation for a choose to dismiss the case in opposition to the TV character or suppress any proof, together with pictures of his palms taken throughout his arrest.
“Whereas the defendant was being processed as he was taken into custody, a particular agent with the Division of Homeland Safety, Homeland Safety Investigations (‘HIS’) requested the defendant if he might {photograph} the defendant’s palms. The defendant expressly consented to having the pictures taken,” the submitting states. “At no time throughout this course of did the particular agent or every other legislation enforcement officers concerned within the processing of the defendant increase their voice at him, intimidate him, or verbally or bodily threaten him. The images doc a scar on the defendant’s hand, which is plainly seen. Legislation enforcement noticed the identical scar in photographs recovered from the defendant’s digital units seized pursuant to a search warrant on this case.”
A courtroom listening to has been set for October 4, 2021, the place either side can focus on the varied motions that Josh and his authorized staff filed to suppress proof, together with the photographs that investigators took on the time of his arrest.
Credit score: ABC 40/29/YouTube
Motions Denied
In September 2021, a choose denied 4 of Josh’s 5 motions within the little one pornography case, together with the movement to suppress statements that the TV character allegedly made to federal brokers in the course of the investigation.
The protection’s movement to dismiss the case solely was additionally denied, as was their try and suppress images taken of their consumer’s palms and ft on the time of his arrest. The movement to dismiss the indictment due to who was in command of the Division of Homeland Safety on the time was additionally rejected. The fifth movement, which is tied to suppressing proof, hasn’t been dominated on by a choose.
Credit score: Patsy Lynch/Shutterstock
Preserving the Previous within the Previous?
After the prosecution filed a movement to incorporate proof from Josh’s earlier molestation scandal within the trial in November 2021, his authorized staff filed paperwork of their very own to try to forestall his previous from being introduced up within the case, based on stories.
Credit score: Courtesy of Anna Duggar/Instagram
The Trial Begins
On November 30, Josh reported to courtroom in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the beginning of his trial after the choose agreed to delay it by 4 months. His spouse, Anna, accompanied him, and so they walked into the constructing hand in hand alongside his authorized staff. In the future earlier, Jim Bob testified on behalf of Josh at an evidentiary listening to about whether or not the prosecution might point out his previous molestation scandal in the course of the trial.
In keeping with E! Information, “longtime household pal” Bobye Holt claimed to the choose that Josh advised her he “inappropriately touched the vagina of” a lady in March 2003 and had been “touching the breasts and vaginal areas” of three different ladies “each over and below their garments for years.”
Throughout his testimony, Holt advised the choose that Josh allegedly confessed to him as a result of “he was courting her daughter and that their relationship must finish because of his conduct.”
Holt additionally alleged that Josh “advised her that he had digitally penetrated” one of many victims years after his preliminary confession in 2003.
Credit score: Danny Johnston/AP/Shutterstock
The Jury
After questioning 52 potential jurors, 12 individuals (plus 4 alternates) had been chosen for Josh’s trial. One of many males questioned (and dismissed) recognized himself as the daddy of one among Josh’s brothers’ wives.
Credit score: Courtesy of Jill Dillard/Instagram
Derick Dillard Attends
In the future after Jill and Jed Duggar had been named as “confirmed or potential witnesses” in Josh Duggar’s trial, Jill’s husband, Derick Dillard, attended Josh’s trial. He sat subsequent to Anna within the courtroom on December 1.
Credit score: Information Licensing / MEGA
Convicted
On December 9, Josh was convicted on two prices of receiving and possessing little one sexual abuse materials after a six-day trial. His sentencing will happen at a later date. Forward of the jury deliberation, Josh’s brother-in-law Derick tweeted, “Praying for justice this morning.” Choose Timothy Brooks later dismissed Josh’s rely of possessing little one pornography when ruling that it was included within the rely of receiving little one pornography.
Credit score: MEGA
Jail Cell Change
In the future after his conviction, Us confirmed that Josh was moved to solitary confinement resulting from security causes. He will likely be refrained from fellow inmates as he awaits his sentencing.
Credit score: Courtesy of Anna Duggar/Instagram
No Conjugal Visits
As Josh awaits sentencing, he won’t be permitted conjugal visits together with his spouse, Anna, as a result of Arkansas doesn’t permit non-public visits between spouses in state-run jails. If he’s sentenced to federal jail in 2022, he won’t be allowed conjugal visits there both. In keeping with the Bureau of Prisons web site, conjugal visits aren’t permitted in any BOP facility.
Credit score: YouTube
Sentencing Date Set
A choose set the previous actuality TV star’s sentencing listening to for April 5, 2022, based on authorized filings obtained by Us Weekly in February 2022. He faces as much as 20 years in jail and fines as much as $250,000 for every of his two counts.
Credit score: Information Licensing/MEGA
A Movement to Delay Sentencing
Us confirmed in March 2022 that Josh filed a movement to postpone his April 5, 2022, sentencing date. His authorized staff claimed they might not schedule all the required conferences resulting from COVID-19 delays. A choose later granted the movement, transferring the sentencing to Might 25, 2022.
Credit score: Courtesy Duggar Household/Instagram; Courtesy Anna Duggar/Instagram
Michelle and Anna Duggar’s Pleas to the Choose
Josh’s mom and spouse, together with different relations and pals, wrote detailed letters to the choose presiding over the case on Might 11, 2022, begging him to not sentence Josh to the utmost 20 years — partially resulting from his monetary and emotional contribution his family.
“Joshua has a young coronary heart and he’s compassionate towards others,” Michelle, who dotted her “i” with a coronary heart, wrote in her letter, which was obtained by the Every day Mail. Anna known as her husband “the kindest individual I do know.” She additionally claimed he’s a “loving, supportive and caring father” to their children and stated that she and Josh are “fortunately married.”
Credit score: Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
The Protection Asks for the Minimal Sentence
Per paperwork obtained by native information website KNWA in Might 2022, Josh’s protection staff requested for the minimal sentence of 5 years earlier than his courtroom date.
Credit score: Toby Canham/Information Licensing/MEGA
The Prosecution Desires Justice
The authorized papers obtained by KNWA in Might 2022 additionally acknowledged that the prosecutors had been gunning for the utmost sentence for Josh: 20 years behind bars.
Credit score: Information Licensing/MEGA
The Sentencing
Josh was sentenced to 151 months — or 12.5 years — in jail on Might 25, 2022. He will likely be transferred to a federal jail within the close to future to start serving his time. Arkansas choose Timothy L. Brooks known as his crimes “the sickest of the sick” in the course of the sentencing listening to.
Credit score: Courtesy Anna Duggar/Instagram
Preventing Again
The previous TV character filed an enchantment in Arkansas in June 2022, simply two weeks after he was sentenced to greater than 12 years in jail for possessing and receiving little one pornography. “Duggar respectfully supplies discover of his intent to judge and pursue any and all meritorious arguments in his enchantment to the USA Courtroom of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit,” the petition learn.
The paperwork additionally confirmed that the daddy of seven is at present incarcerated at Washington County Detention Middle in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Regardless of being convicted of two counts of receiving and possessing little one pornography in December, the June enchantment acknowledged that Josh is down to 1 rely of receiving little one pornography, which is what he was sentenced for and is combating.
Credit score: Courtesy of Anna Duggar/Instagram
Federal Lockup
On June 24, 2022, Josh was transferred from Washington County Jail to FCI Seagoville. He’s anticipated to serve the remainder of his sentence there, pending the end result of his enchantment.
Credit score: Information Licensing / MEGA
His Launch Date
In July 2022, In Contact reported that Josh will likely be launched from jail on August 12, 2032, which means that he’ll serve simply over 10 years of his 12.5 yr sentence. He’s legally required to serve 85 p.c of his 151-month sentence — about 10.5 years — earlier than he might be thought-about for parole.
Credit score: The Solar/Information Licensing/The Mega Company
U.S. Authorities Grants Josh’s Request for an Enchantment Extension
The US authorities is “not opposing” the convicted felon’s request for extra time on his enchantment, Us can affirm, permitting his staff an extension of 14 extra days to work on the case.
“Duggar is interesting his one-count conviction following a felony jury trial. Duggar’s opening transient was filed on October 4, 2022,” the paperwork, obtained by Us, state. “The US filed its response on November 22, 2022. Given the complexity of the problems on enchantment and the necessity for undersigned counsel to discuss with Duggar, who’s in custody, Duggar respectfully requests an extra 14 days inside which to file his reply transient.”
