Josh Duggar Is Convicted of Downloading Child Sexual Abuse Imagery

U.S.|Josh Duggar Is Convicted of Downloading Child Sexual Abuse Imagery

Josh Duggar, a onetime prima of the TLC world amusement “19 Kids and Counting,” astir a ample household guided by blimpish Christian values, was convicted connected Thursday successful national tribunal successful Arkansas of downloading kid intersexual maltreatment imagery.

A assemblage returned the verdict successful the U.S. District Court successful Fayetteville, Ark., 1 time aft it began its deliberations successful a lawsuit that drew wide attention.

Mr. Duggar, 33, was recovered blameworthy connected 1 number of receiving kid pornography and 1 number of possessing kid pornography, each of which carries a maximum punishment of 20 years successful situation and $250,000 successful fines.

The verdict came a small implicit a week into the proceedings of Mr. Duggar, who was arrested successful April. He was accused of utilizing the net to download explicit worldly showing the intersexual maltreatment of children, immoderate younger than 12, according to an indictment.

In a connection emailed soon aft the verdict, Mr. Duggar’s lawyers said that they would contention the verdict.

“We admit the jury’s lengthy deliberations, we respect the jury’s verdict, and we mean to appeal,” his lawyers said.

Mr. Duggar had pleaded not blameworthy and had been escaped connected a personal-recognizance enslaved that was granted by the judge. He was taken into custody connected Thursday aft his conviction.

In 2015, TLC decided to retreat each episodes of “19 Kids and Counting” aft In Touch Weekly reported connected a 2006 constabulary study that said Mr. Duggar had arsenic a teen molested respective girls. At slightest 20 companies pulled their ads from the show, which made its debut successful 2008 and was 1 of the cablegram network’s apical performers, and TLC canceled it.

No transgression charges resulted from the allegations, which had passed the statute of limitations. Mr. Duggar’s parents told Fox News successful 2015 that 4 of the 5 girls their lad molested were his sisters.

At the time, Mr. Duggar apologized successful a connection to People mag that was besides posted connected the Duggar family’s Facebook page.

“Twelve years ago, arsenic a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I americium highly atrocious and profoundly regret,” helium said successful the statement, which is no longer visible connected Facebook. “I wounded others, including my household and adjacent friends. I confessed this to my parents who took respective steps to assistance maine code the situation.”

Mr. Duggar besides resigned from his position arsenic the manager of the lobbying limb of the blimpish Family Research Council.

“We spoke with the authorities wherever I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for maine and those affected by my actions to person counseling,” Mr. Duggar said successful his connection to People. “I understood that if I continued down this incorrect roadworthy that I would extremity up ruining my life.”

Michael Levenson contributed reporting.