Former reality TV star Josh Duggar was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison on child porn charges. Duggar, the oldest of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children, was a star on the television show “19 Kids and Counting.”He was arrested in April 2021 after a Little Rock police detective found child porn files were being shared by a computer traced to Duggar. Both the prosecution and defense called computer experts to the stand. Testimony centered on how certain it was that Duggar was the one who used his work computer to download the child pornography in question.The prosecution used geolocation, timestamps, and text messages to link Duggar to his Springdale car lot at around the same time the child pornography was downloaded.The defense argued that the content could have been downloaded the material remotely or by another person at the car lot.TLC canceled “19 Kids and Counting” in 2015 following allegations that Duggar had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter years earlier. Authorities began investigating the abuse in 2006 after receiving a tip from a family friend but concluded that the statute of limitations on any possible charges had expired.Duggar’s parents said he had confessed to the fondling and apologized. After the allegations resurfaced in 2015, Duggar apologized publicly for unspecified behavior and resigned as a lobbyist for the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group.Months later, he publicly apologized for cheating on his wife and a pornography addiction, for which he then sought treatment.In seeking a 20-year sentence, prosecutors cited the graphic images — and the ages of the children involved — as well as court testimony about the alleged abuse of Duggar’s sisters.Duggar’s past behavior “provides an alarming window into the extent of his sexual interest in children that the Court should consider at sentencing,” federal prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum.“This past conduct, when viewed alongside the conduct for which he has been convicted, makes clear that Duggar has a deep-seated, pervasive, and violent sexual interest in children, and a willingness to act on that interest,” the court filing said.Prosecutors also noted that Duggar’s computer had been partitioned to evade accountability software that had been installed to report to his wife activity such as porn searches, according to experts.“There is simply no indication that Duggar will ever take the steps necessary to change this pattern of behavior and address his predilection for minor females,” prosecutors wrote.Duggar has maintained that he’s innocent and that he intends to appeal, his attorneys wrote in their sentencing memorandum.“Duggar accepts that he is before this Court for sentencing and that this Court must impose a penalty,” his attorneys wrote. “That is justice. But Duggar also appeals to this Court’s discretion to temper that justice with mercy.”Duggar, whose lawyers sought a five-year sentence, maintains his innocence and has said he will appeal.Motion for a new trialDuggar’s attorneys have made motions for acquittal, claimed federal prosecutors failed to disclose certain evidence in a timely manner and cited the court’s rulings on witness testimony. The judge ruled there wasn’t any merit to Duggar’s arguments for acquittal.”There was significant evidence presented at trial to convince a reasonable jury that Mr. Duggar was physically present during the offense conduct and that he had the mens rea to commit these crimes,” the judge wrote in his decision.Follow this link to read the judge’s full opinion. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Former reality TV star Josh Duggar was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison on child porn charges.
Duggar, the oldest of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children, was a star on the television show “19 Kids and Counting.”
He was arrested in April 2021 after a Little Rock police detective found child porn files were being shared by a computer traced to Duggar.
Both the prosecution and defense called computer experts to the stand. Testimony centered on how certain it was that Duggar was the one who used his work computer to download the child pornography in question.
The prosecution used geolocation, timestamps, and text messages to link Duggar to his Springdale car lot at around the same time the child pornography was downloaded.
The defense argued that the content could have been downloaded the material remotely or by another person at the car lot.
TLC canceled “19 Kids and Counting” in 2015 following allegations that Duggar had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter years earlier. Authorities began investigating the abuse in 2006 after receiving a tip from a family friend but concluded that the statute of limitations on any possible charges had expired.
Duggar’s parents said he had confessed to the fondling and apologized. After the allegations resurfaced in 2015, Duggar apologized publicly for unspecified behavior and resigned as a lobbyist for the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group.
Months later, he publicly apologized for cheating on his wife and a pornography addiction, for which he then sought treatment.
In seeking a 20-year sentence, prosecutors cited the graphic images — and the ages of the children involved — as well as court testimony about the alleged abuse of Duggar’s sisters.
Duggar’s past behavior “provides an alarming window into the extent of his sexual interest in children that the Court should consider at sentencing,” federal prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum.
“This past conduct, when viewed alongside the conduct for which he has been convicted, makes clear that Duggar has a deep-seated, pervasive, and violent sexual interest in children, and a willingness to act on that interest,” the court filing said.
Prosecutors also noted that Duggar’s computer had been partitioned to evade accountability software that had been installed to report to his wife activity such as porn searches, according to experts.
“There is simply no indication that Duggar will ever take the steps necessary to change this pattern of behavior and address his predilection for minor females,” prosecutors wrote.
Duggar has maintained that he’s innocent and that he intends to appeal, his attorneys wrote in their sentencing memorandum.
“Duggar accepts that he is before this Court for sentencing and that this Court must impose a penalty,” his attorneys wrote. “That is justice. But Duggar also appeals to this Court’s discretion to temper that justice with mercy.”
Duggar, whose lawyers sought a five-year sentence, maintains his innocence and has said he will appeal.
Motion for a new trial
Duggar’s attorneys have made motions for acquittal, claimed federal prosecutors failed to disclose certain evidence in a timely manner and cited the court’s rulings on witness testimony.
The judge ruled there wasn’t any merit to Duggar’s arguments for acquittal.
“There was significant evidence presented at trial to convince a reasonable jury that Mr. Duggar was physically present during the offense conduct and that he had the mens rea to commit these crimes,” the judge wrote in his decision.
Follow this link to read the judge’s full opinion.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.