Official photo of Josh Duggar provided by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (Photo Credit: Washington County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images)
Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of child pornography. Reader discretion is advised.
In April 2021, authorities arrested former reality TV personality Josh Duggar and held him without bond in an Arkansas jail. At the time of his arrest, police didn’t disclose the reason for apprehending Duggar. Following his appearance in court, Duggar was charged with receiving and possessing child pornography. The reality TV star pleaded not guilty to the charges and waived the right to have the charges read out loud in court.
Although police apprehended Josh Duggar in 2021, the Homeland Security Investigators (HSI) started investigating him in 2019. Citing the press release from the federal prosecutors, People Magazine reported that Josh Duggar allegedly downloaded child pornography from the internet in May 2019, which he was accused of possessing. Moreover, the press release stated that “some of the material” depicted “the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12.”
However, police found a breakthrough when they learned about a car dealership that Josh Duggar used to visit. Per Arkansas Online, authorities issued a warrant to search the dealership, after which investigators found a computer and multiple devices belonging to Duggar. The publication reported that authorities found credible forensic evidence to press charges against Duggar. After months of investigation, the trial eventually began in November 2021 and lasted almost a week.
In December 2021, the jury found Josh Duggar guilty of receiving and possessing child pornography. Later, in May 2022, the court then sentenced Duggar to 12-and-a-half years in federal prison, reported NBC News. Currently, Duggar is being held at FCI Seagoville prison in Texas.
Josh Duggar’s case explored
Josh Duggar’s child pornography case went on to nab a lot of attention because of the disturbing details that surfaced. During the trial, prosecutors revealed how and when Duggar downloaded child pornography on his devices. Business Insider noted that investigators searched three devices recovered from Duggar’s car dealership. The prosecution team also claimed that Duggar downloaded explicit material on several occasions.
One of the forensic experts testified how Josh Duggar split his computer’s hard drive into two components. According to another report by Business Insider, one of the components had Windows installed, while the other used Linux as the operating system. The publication also stated that he used the Linux side to download child pornography. Moreover, the expert noted that an accountability software named Covenant Eyes was installed on the Windows side of the computer.
The forensic expert also mentioned that the software would detect child pornography material and send a report to Duggar’s wife. Meanwhile, the Linux side of the computer could steer clear of the software, and that’s how he downloaded obscene material on his computer. Meanwhile, one of Josh Duggar’s friends testified in court and revealed his previous inappropriate behavior. In his testimony, Duggar’s friend alleged how the former reality TV star talked about touching “private areas” of four of his sisters.
Defense tried proving that someone else downloaded the material
The defense team tried to prove that Josh Duggar was innocent and someone else was the culprit in this case. According to People Magazine, the defense team called in their forensic expert, who disagreed with other expert’s statements. Citing the expert’s statements, the outlet reported that someone else could have had “remote access” to Duggar’s computer and downloaded child pornography.
The New York Post reported that Duggar’s trial lasted six days, and the jury deliberated for seven hours before announcing a guilty verdict in December 2021. The following May, the court sentenced him to 12 and a half years in prison.
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