CRIME Josh Duggar, former reality TV star, charged with child porn possession

[Krayola]

Josh Duggar, former reality TV star, charged with child porn possession

Sarah Lynch

Joshua James Duggar, the 33-year-old former star of the popular reality TV show “19 Kids and Counting,” appeared in federal court on Friday to face criminal charges that he received and possessed child pornography, the U.S. Justice Department said.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Arkansas confirmed that Duggar made his initial appearance in federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges, which allege he obtained the sexually explicit material sometime between May 14 and May 16 of 2019.

The government is seeking his detention, and a hearing on the matter is slated for May 5, the spokesman added. Duggar was arrested on Thursday on the charges. In a statement, Duggar's attorneys said they intend to "defend this case aggressively and thoroughly."

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison. Duggar rose to fame in the TLC reality series about his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and their 19 children. The show delved into their religious values and beliefs, including their opposition to birth control, their preference to home-school their children, and their strict rules about dating, which entailed chaperoning their daughters through a courtship and banning them from kissing until marriage. The show was suspended in 2015, however, after news broke that Josh Duggar had molested five girls, four of whom were his own sisters.

At the time, Duggar worked at the Family Research Council, a Christian fundamentalist group founded by James Dobson.
He resigned from his post at the time and issued a statement admitting to his actions.
“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” he told People Magazine.

“I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling."

Duggar never faced criminal charges for those actions.

Josh Duggar, former reality TV star, charged for possessing child sex abuse materials

Joshua James Duggar, the 33-year-old former star of the popular reality TV show "19 Kids and Counting," appeared in federal court on Friday to face criminal charges that he received and possessed materials that depicted the sexual abuse of children, the U.S. Justice Department said.

www.reuters.com

 

[hunybee]

i want to give the benefit of the doubt as this is a favorite life ruiner of those that want to take down people.

and why not? messing with kids is not only a big no, but it REALLY riles people up. and well it should.

so when i see these any more, i am instantly suspicious with a mixture of possible anger. i try to hold that be cause we really do not know for sure unless we know for sure.

but given his past......this looks real bad , dude.

 

[mzkitty]

Once a skeeve, always a skeeve........... blech.

 

[amarilla]

I wish his wife would leave to keep the kids safe. Unfortunately, she probably won't. She got married so young with no skills.

 

[Dozdoats]

Leopards, spots and all that.

 

[Grumphau]

I wish his wife would leave to keep the kids safe. Unfortunately, she probably won't. She got married so young with no skills.

I think it's one of their sons, not the father.

 

[hunybee]

I think it's one of their sons, not the father.

yes, but she is talking about josh duggars wife.

they have a good few kids and they both got married young, by today's standards.

 

[Meemur]

I think Josh is their oldest, and that couple already has six children with a seventh on the way. Rough, really rough.

 

[Faroe]

I think it's one of their sons, not the father.

The son, Josh, does have a wife. In the photo I saw, she looked tired beyond her years.
Traditional marriage can have it's downsides.

 

[Dozdoats]

Crankin' out kids is hard work.

You'd think the last thing any Duggar would ever crave is seeing nekkid kids ...

 

[Meemur]

Doz, I think Josh has been accosting young sisters since his early teens. From what I've heard, he really needed help
a lot sooner than he got it, and it sounds like the therapy wasn't effective.

I have a friend who lives in nearby Springdale who keeps us updated on the Duggar gossip.

Apparently, some of the Duggars are not very nice people.

Added: the 19 children

The Duggar kids in order are: Josh, Jana and John David (twins), Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah and Jeremiah (twins), Jason, James, Justin, Jackson, Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn-Grace, and Josie.

 

[hunybee]

Doz, I think Josh has been accosting young sisters since his early teens. From what I've heard, he really needed help
a lot sooner than he got it, and it sounds like the therapy wasn't effective.

I have a friend who lives in nearby Springdale who keeps us up updated on the Duggar gossip.

Apparently, some of the Duggars are not very nice people.

Added: the 19 children

The Duggar kids in order are: Josh, Jana and John David (twins), Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah and Jeremiah (twins), Jason, James, Justin, Jackson, Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn-Grace, and Josie.

I have heard this about them as well. Not all of them, but enough.

I know there is some division in the family right now.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Wasn't he the one that several of his sisters accused him of molesting them?

 

[packyderms_wife]

From what I've heard, he really needed help a lot sooner than he got it, and it sounds like the therapy wasn't effective.

There was no ammo shortage at the time... just sayin.

 

[Faroe]

Help? A bullet would have been more effective.

ETA: cross post!

 

[packyderms_wife]

Help? A bullet would have been more effective.

ETA: cross post!

Exactly!

 

[tiredude]

why isnt hunter in for the same charges?

 

[Dobbin]

why isnt hunter in for the same charges?

Your question answers itself in the third word.

Dobbin

 

[Meemur]

They've kept Josh out of the clink this long because of his daddy's connections, I'm sure, but I think his luck may have run out. I don't have any answers. It's truly a sad situation that should've been dealt with many years ago.

 

[brokenwings]

He needs to serve time for what he's done. I just bet he has been diddling his own kids as child molesters never stop and they can't be cured. Their religion can't save him. Child porn is a federal offense so he may actually pay this time.

 

[cyberiot]

His wife now gets to decide whether her higher obligation is to her porn-addicted husband or to her children. I hope she's asking God for advice because, if I'm reading The Manual correctly, He likes kids more than he likes wankers.

 

[summerthyme]

I'm wondering what trusted "family friend" molested him as a young kid. The percentages of molesters who were themselves abused are extremely high.

Yes, it should have been addressed many years ago, and it's just awful that they literally seem to have subscribed to the "love of a good woman can save him" theory. And, probably "if he has regular sex available, he won't have time to think about diddling kids"... apparently forgetting that using no birth control results in long stretches when the wife isn't available for sex at all.

I'm guessing they saw it as a moral failing/sin (which it definitely is!) without understanding that it causes as many chemical changes in the brain and body as any other addiction, and starting as young as he apparently did means he was AND IS a deeply disturbed young man. Prayers for his wife, who I suspect was duped.

Summerthyme

 

[fish hook]

Your question answers itself in the third word.

Dobbin

That is us now. Right?

 

[fish hook]

I thought something like this came up while they were still doing the show. I don't remember the details, may be one of the others. It was either porn or child molestation.

 

[cyberiot]

I'm wondering what trusted "family friend" molested him as a young kid. The percentages of molesters who were themselves abused are extremely high.

Yes, it should have been addressed many years ago, and it's just awful that they literally seem to have subscribed to the "love of a good woman can save him" theory. And, probably "if he has regular six available, he won't have time to think about diddling kids"... apparently forgetting that using no birth control results in long stretches when the wife isn't available for sex at all.

I'm guessing they saw it as a moral failing/sin (which it definitely is!) without understanding that it causes as many chemical changes in the brain and body as any other addiction, and starting as young as he apparently did means he was AND IS a deeply disturbed young man. Prayers for his wife, who I suspect was duped.

Summerthyme

One of the "family friends" who was consulted after Josh's first publicized round of problems is a LEO who is now incarcerated for possession of child pornography.

From Wikipedia:

When Josh Duggar returned home in July 2003, his father took him to meet James W. Hutchens, an Arkansas State Trooper and family acquaintance.[43][44] According to Josh and his parents, the meeting was the first time any law enforcement authority was made aware of the sexual abuse.[43][44] According to Jim Bob, Josh admitted to Hutchens that he'd committed molestation and apologized.[43][44] Speaking via a lawyer, Hutchens disputed part of the account, saying he was only told of a single act of incestuous molestation, and that he would have responded differently if he had known of additional instances and victims.[48][49][50] In an interview following this statement, Jim Bob Duggar claimed Hutchens was told the entire story.[42] Hutchens did not take any official action but reportedly gave Josh a "stern talk".[43][44][50] Arkansas law states that law enforcement officers, as mandated reporters, are required to alert the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline when learning of sexual abuse.[46] Hutchens was later arrested and convicted on unrelated charges of child pornography and is serving a 56-year prison sentence.[48][51][52]

 

[hunybee]

One of the "family friends" who was consulted after Josh's first publicized round of problems is a LEO who is now incarcerated for possession of child pornography.

From Wikipedia:

When Josh Duggar returned home in July 2003, his father took him to meet James W. Hutchens, an Arkansas State Trooper and family acquaintance.[43][44] According to Josh and his parents, the meeting was the first time any law enforcement authority was made aware of the sexual abuse.[43][44] According to Jim Bob, Josh admitted to Hutchens that he'd committed molestation and apologized.[43][44] Speaking via a lawyer, Hutchens disputed part of the account, saying he was only told of a single act of incestuous molestation, and that he would have responded differently if he had known of additional instances and victims.[48][49][50] In an interview following this statement, Jim Bob Duggar claimed Hutchens was told the entire story.[42] Hutchens did not take any official action but reportedly gave Josh a "stern talk".[43][44][50] Arkansas law states that law enforcement officers, as mandated reporters, are required to alert the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline when learning of sexual abuse.[46] Hutchens was later arrested and convicted on unrelated charges of child pornography and is serving a 56-year prison sentence.[48][51][52]

whoa



it has been suggested for a very long time (many, many years) that jim bob needs looking to as well. i don't know for sure, but lots of people have been saying this for a long time.

something is not right.

 

[rob0126]

He needs to serve time for what he's done. I just bet he has been diddling his own kids as child molesters never stop and they can't be cured. Their religion can't save him. Child porn is a federal offense so he may actually pay this time.

I would say that he started into pornography at an early age, and it progressed into child porn and molestation of his sisters.

Pornography is a monster.

Jesus Christ can free him from it but he has to want to stop the lustful desires and fight against it.

 

[Meemur]

Yes! I was going to suggest that Jim Bob should also be investigated. I also suspect his father (died in 2009) may have also been an abuser based on some things my friend heard. I hope it's not true! But I won't be surprised if is.

That's a problem with many of those sects: they also attract pedophiles and it ends up becoming a multi-generational problem.

 

[cyberiot]

I would say that he started into pornography at an early age, and it progressed into child porn and molestation of his sisters.

Pornography is a monster.

Jesus Christ can free him from it but he has to want to stop the lustful desires and fight against it.

As Summerthyme said, pornography changes the brain and impairs the ability to have normal sexual relationships with flesh-and-blood partners. When you get used to having whatever you want whenever you want it, with no obligations or consequences, it is incredibly difficult to step away from the smut and return to normal, healthy behavior. As is true of many addictions, tolerance increases with repeated exposure--the porn viewer requires more extreme or novel material to achieve the same level of satisfaction. It's an ugly, destructive process.

 

[Krayola]

Given what has been revealed about Jim Bob and Michelle's vile associations, I am shocked but not that shocked that one of their children ended up this way. I was definitely not surprised about the molestation allegations that came out some years ago since that type of aberrant behavior is very common in the Duggar's religious sect.

I remember the first time I saw the Duggar family on TV, I thought they appeared to be a nice Christian family but a red flag that jumped out to me was how they made their daughters dress.

Some years later, I found out their association with Bill Gothard and the Institute in Basic Life Principles and the way they treat sexual abuse victims made me want to vomit. I feel sorry for their daughters. This is what they teach the girls when they are sexually abused:

Points 1 and 2 downplay the sexual abuse victim’s physical suffering as damage to the “least important” part of a person, with no mention of other possible effects of abuse.

Point 3 condemns the victim for self-damage (presumably to mind, will, and emotions left untouched by the abuser) and rebukes the victim for feeling not only bitterness, but also guilt.

Point 4 explicitly suggests that the victim invited the abuse by enticing the abuser or by earning divine wrath. This is a particularly stark example of Gothard’s theology: Gothard presents a God who passively or actively allows sexual abuse as just punishment for “immodest dress,” “indecent exposure,” “being out from under protection of our parents,” or “being with evil friends.” When this document was published, the IBLP operational definition of the term “defraud” was “to stir up desires that cannot be righteously fulfilled,” and a version of this definition is still used by IBLP. In the IBLP document, “Lessons From Moral Failures in a Family,” this concept of modesty and temptation is also applied to the sexual abuse of very young children.

Point 5 explicitly speculates that the sexual abuse victim is likely guilty for some part of the abuse or its aftermath, and appears to directly contradict Point 3, which reprimanded the victim for damaging his or her soul with guilt. “Moral vaccination” seems to reference a concept Gothard shared in seminars and conferences in the 1980s, when he told the story of a woman who struggled with unwanted sexual thoughts and eventually was raped. In the anecdote, Gothard described the rape and the woman’s subsequent aversion to sexuality as inoculation against lust.

Point 6 leads with the default assumption that the abused is usually at least partly at fault, presenting the guiltless abuse victim as an exception. This guiltless victim is told what great spiritual power he or she can expect to be compensated with after being sexually violated. While it appears that we have at last reached a bullet point that doesn’t chide or censure sexual abuse survivors, Point 6 has a dark reverse side that makes it as toxic as Point 4; if the abuse victim is not experiencing all seven evidences of being “mighty in Spirit,” does that mean he or she was not truly faultless in the abuse?

If a survivor of sexual abuse does not adequately exhibit “spiritual discernment” and “creativity,” or feel “energy, enthusiasm, joy,” and “inner peace,” is that evidence of guilt or complicity in one’s own abuse? The standard for being “not at fault” is not only to have demonstrated perfect modesty and obedience before the abuse (by IBLP definitions) and to have harbored no guilt or “bitterness” after the abuse, but also to demonstrate seven arbitrary qualities of an extraordinary super-Christian soon after the abuse. It is a subjective test of guiltlessness few could pass.

Point 7 is an interesting choice of Biblical example of sexual abuse, but has some merit. Here Gothard conflates correlation with causation, indicating that Daniel’s wisdom, understanding, and position were direct compensations for physical trauma. Also telling is the absence of rape victims Dinah and Tamar as examples of guiltless survivors. Other IBLP materials denounce these women for inviting or failing to thwart their own abuse.

Point 8 presents a vicious false dichotomy that pressures the abuse victim to symbolically “choose” sexual abuse as a necessary accompaniment or gateway to being “mighty in Spirit.” This is not mere acceptance that the past cannot be changed, nor just a choice to make something positive of the situation going forward; this is a theoretical active choice in favor of being abused. Here Gothard defies his own admonitions to his followers to avoid answering questions about hypothetical situations.

Points 9 and 10 echo Points 1-3 in condemning any “bitterness” the victim may feel — and by word count this is apparently a far greater concern than the sexual abuse itself. The document presumes to know the exact reason for any “bitterness” on the part of the survivor: “He damaged your body.” No other reasons for anger or pain are considered here, and no other possible negative effects of sexual abuse are mentioned. In a trichotomistic document that asserts the importance of the soul over the body and the primacy of the spirit over both of these, negative effects on the victim are relegated exclusively to the lowest level, the physical, then effectively dismissed as petty.

This slyly suggests that any continued pain or difficulty the survivor experiences is the result of carnality or insufficient dedication of the spirit to God. The document assumes that the victim is not already dedicated to God, and was likely not adequately dedicated to God at the time of sexual assault. Point 9 is a master stroke of passive aggression against survivors who would dare express any ongoing spiritual or emotional distress resulting from their sexual abuse. It silences survivors whose stories have not yet culminated in complete spiritual triumph.

Instead of the usual IBLP language of tearing down strongholds, reclaiming surrendered ground, and replacing strongholds with “towers of truth,” Point 10 advises victims to reclaim surrendered ground and “cleanse with rhemas.” This contextually unusual choice of language is darkly jarring in light of the feelings of being dirty that so many sexual abuse survivors report experiencing. Point 10 subtly supports the idea that sexual abuse survivors are in special need of purification.

The damaging potential of “Counseling Sexual Abuse” is not theoretical. The damage has already happened. The teachings outlined in this document have had devastating effects in the lives of real people. Click here to read one story directly affected by these teachings.

source: How “Counseling Sexual Abuse” Blames and Shames Survivors

I have read some of the stories at Recovering Grace and it is sickening and makes my blood boil. Gothard (who finally had to resign due his own pervy scandals) taught the sick crap outlined above and the Duggars promoted him on their show and used his materials to home school their kids. I think I read that the "counseling center" that they sent Josh as a teen (when he molested his sisters) was also affiliated with that Gothard creep.

 

[rob0126]

Given what has been revealed about Jim Bob and Michelle's vile associations, I am shocked but not that shocked that one of their children ended up this way. I was definitely not surprised about the molestation allegations that came out some years ago since that type of aberrant behavior is very common in the Duggar's religious sect.

I remember the first time I saw the Duggar family on TV, I thought they appeared to be a nice Christian family but a red flag that jumped out to me was how they made their daughters dress.

Some years later, I found out their association with Bill Gothard and the Institute in Basic Life Principles and the way they treat sexual abuse victims made me want to vomit. I feel sorry for their daughters. This is what they teach the girls when they are sexually abused:
View attachment 264402
Points 1 and 2 downplay the sexual abuse victim’s physical suffering as damage to the “least important” part of a person, with no mention of other possible effects of abuse.

Point 3 condemns the victim for self-damage (presumably to mind, will, and emotions left untouched by the abuser) and rebukes the victim for feeling not only bitterness, but also guilt.

Point 4 explicitly suggests that the victim invited the abuse by enticing the abuser or by earning divine wrath. This is a particularly stark example of Gothard’s theology: Gothard presents a God who passively or actively allows sexual abuse as just punishment for “immodest dress,” “indecent exposure,” “being out from under protection of our parents,” or “being with evil friends.” When this document was published, the IBLP operational definition of the term “defraud” was “to stir up desires that cannot be righteously fulfilled,” and a version of this definition is still used by IBLP. In the IBLP document, “Lessons From Moral Failures in a Family,” this concept of modesty and temptation is also applied to the sexual abuse of very young children.

Point 5 explicitly speculates that the sexual abuse victim is likely guilty for some part of the abuse or its aftermath, and appears to directly contradict Point 3, which reprimanded the victim for damaging his or her soul with guilt. “Moral vaccination” seems to reference a concept Gothard shared in seminars and conferences in the 1980s, when he told the story of a woman who struggled with unwanted sexual thoughts and eventually was raped. In the anecdote, Gothard described the rape and the woman’s subsequent aversion to sexuality as inoculation against lust.

Point 6 leads with the default assumption that the abused is usually at least partly at fault, presenting the guiltless abuse victim as an exception. This guiltless victim is told what great spiritual power he or she can expect to be compensated with after being sexually violated. While it appears that we have at last reached a bullet point that doesn’t chide or censure sexual abuse survivors, Point 6 has a dark reverse side that makes it as toxic as Point 4; if the abuse victim is not experiencing all seven evidences of being “mighty in Spirit,” does that mean he or she was not truly faultless in the abuse?

If a survivor of sexual abuse does not adequately exhibit “spiritual discernment” and “creativity,” or feel “energy, enthusiasm, joy,” and “inner peace,” is that evidence of guilt or complicity in one’s own abuse? The standard for being “not at fault” is not only to have demonstrated perfect modesty and obedience before the abuse (by IBLP definitions) and to have harbored no guilt or “bitterness” after the abuse, but also to demonstrate seven arbitrary qualities of an extraordinary super-Christian soon after the abuse. It is a subjective test of guiltlessness few could pass.

Point 7 is an interesting choice of Biblical example of sexual abuse, but has some merit. Here Gothard conflates correlation with causation, indicating that Daniel’s wisdom, understanding, and position were direct compensations for physical trauma. Also telling is the absence of rape victims Dinah and Tamar as examples of guiltless survivors. Other IBLP materials denounce these women for inviting or failing to thwart their own abuse.

Point 8 presents a vicious false dichotomy that pressures the abuse victim to symbolically “choose” sexual abuse as a necessary accompaniment or gateway to being “mighty in Spirit.” This is not mere acceptance that the past cannot be changed, nor just a choice to make something positive of the situation going forward; this is a theoretical active choice in favor of being abused. Here Gothard defies his own admonitions to his followers to avoid answering questions about hypothetical situations.

Points 9 and 10 echo Points 1-3 in condemning any “bitterness” the victim may feel — and by word count this is apparently a far greater concern than the sexual abuse itself. The document presumes to know the exact reason for any “bitterness” on the part of the survivor: “He damaged your body.” No other reasons for anger or pain are considered here, and no other possible negative effects of sexual abuse are mentioned. In a trichotomistic document that asserts the importance of the soul over the body and the primacy of the spirit over both of these, negative effects on the victim are relegated exclusively to the lowest level, the physical, then effectively dismissed as petty.

This slyly suggests that any continued pain or difficulty the survivor experiences is the result of carnality or insufficient dedication of the spirit to God. The document assumes that the victim is not already dedicated to God, and was likely not adequately dedicated to God at the time of sexual assault. Point 9 is a master stroke of passive aggression against survivors who would dare express any ongoing spiritual or emotional distress resulting from their sexual abuse. It silences survivors whose stories have not yet culminated in complete spiritual triumph.

Instead of the usual IBLP language of tearing down strongholds, reclaiming surrendered ground, and replacing strongholds with “towers of truth,” Point 10 advises victims to reclaim surrendered ground and “cleanse with rhemas.” This contextually unusual choice of language is darkly jarring in light of the feelings of being dirty that so many sexual abuse survivors report experiencing. Point 10 subtly supports the idea that sexual abuse survivors are in special need of purification.

The damaging potential of “Counseling Sexual Abuse” is not theoretical. The damage has already happened. The teachings outlined in this document have had devastating effects in the lives of real people. Click here to read one story directly affected by these teachings.

source: How “Counseling Sexual Abuse” Blames and Shames Survivors

I have read some of the stories at Recovering Grace and it is sickening and makes my blood boil. Gothard (who finally had to resign due his own pervy scandals) taught the sick crap outlined above and the Duggars promoted him on their show and used his materials to home school their kids. I think I read that the "counseling center" that they sent Josh as a teen (when he molested his sisters) was also affiliated with that Gothard creep.

So basically trying to justify sexual abuse by twisting the bible to somehow 'legitimize' it?

Sounds like some perverted sex cult to me.

That is not of the God of the Bible.

 

[cyberiot]

Josh Duggar granted bail, must remain apart from family in ‘worst of the worst’ child porn case

Suzy Byrne
·Editor, Yahoo Entertainment
Wed, May 5, 2021, 5:02 PM·6 min read

Josh Duggar will be released from jail as he awaits trial in his felony child pornography case.

The scandal-plagued former 19 Kids and Counting star, 33, faced Judge Christy Comstock in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas on Wednesday for a detention hearing. The father of six — appearing from the Washington County Detention Center and wearing his gray-striped jail-issued jumpsuit — was arrested on April 29 on charges of receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children and faces up to 20 years in prison for each. He has pleaded not guilty.

Josh Duggar's booking photo after his arrest April 29, 2021 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo: Washington County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images)

While the judge granted Duggar's release, effective Thursday, she said, "I'm just going to remind you how serious these charges are." She noted the evidence against him that was presented was "significant." She said the nature of the crime "concerns the court." She said his past conduct — molesting five young girls, including some of his sisters, when he was a minor teen in 2002 and 2003 —was also of concern.

Comstock also made the point that the ages of some of the children in the pornography are "close to the ages of your children" — he shares six children, ages 11 and under, with pregnant wife Anna — as well as his younger siblings. However, while she said it was a "very close call" when it came to her decision, she was letting him out with many conditions.

Per those conditions, Josh will be in home confinement, but not at his own home, nor a guest house on the property of his parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar. Instead, he'll be staying with friends of his parents — a pastor and his wife. There will be electric monitoring. He's restricted to the residence at all times — except work, church, doctor's appointments, meetings with his lawyer and court appearances. And he must not possess or view pornography of any kind. He is not to use any internet capable device.

The judge did decide he can have "unlimited" visitation with his children — as long as Anna is present at the time. Josh, who lives in Springdale, Ark., is not to see any other minor children, including siblings and nieces and nephews.

As of now, his jury trial is scheduled to begin July 6 with a pre-trial conference on July 1.

Many new details about Josh's arrest emerged during the hearing. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Gerald Faulkner, who raided Josh's used car lot where the computer was uncovered in November 2019, spoke about the dozens of images depicting nude minors and child sex abuse materials that were found on a hidden hard drive of Josh's work desktop after a forensic investigation.

Faulkner said two files initially triggered the investigation, which was first flagged by a Little Rock, Ark. police investigator in May 2019 and escalated to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). One was a two-plus minute video of two nude, prepubescent girls engaged in sexual activity who were then sexually assaulted by an adult male. The second was a zip file of 65 images of a prepubescent female, between of age 7 and 9, nude and showing her private parts.
Faulkner wouldn't even read the names of the downloaded files, which were graphic and disturbing. He spoke about one series of videos discovered on the computer and said they are known as being “in the top five of the worst of the worst that I’ve ever had to examine.”

Prosecutors claim the illegal images show child pornography involving minors ranging from the age of 12 to as young as toddlers of 18 months.

Faulkner testified that the images were exchanged via a peer-to-peer file sharing called BitTorrent. The forensic investigation also found a program on the desktop called Covenant Eyes, which allows a user to "quit porn" by reporting to an accountability partner — in this case wife Anna — if the user visits porn sites. To get around triggering a report, Josh allegedly installed a Linux partition, which divided the computer's hard drive into two isolated sections to hide what was being viewed in one of them. He also used a TOR browser to surf the dark web. The way he accessed that part of the computer was by inputting a special password — and the one used was one Josh often used for other accounts, including for personal banking, which included his birth year in the password.

It was also noted the screensaver on the desktop allegedly used to view child porn was a photo of Josh with Anna and their children.

A day before the hearing, Josh's attorneys filed legal documents requesting he be released on bail. They argued that he's known about the investigation since HSI raided his then-business in November 2019, at which time he fully complied with turning over computers and electronic devices. After that, Josh, who has no criminal convictions, made no attempt to flee the area or country. He was actually in touch with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in connection with the investigation, and the government permitted him to voluntarily self-surrender after charges were filed against him last week, "underscoring his commitment to meet these charges and to accept and abide by any conditions of release set by this Court."

Josh's legal team further noted that his reality stardom prevents him from being a flight risk, noting, "Duggar has a widely-recognizable face and has spent the majority of his life in the public spotlight — making any concern that he is a risk of flight all the more unwarranted. As he has demonstrated for the 17 months during which he has been aware of this investigation, there is no danger of Duggar fleeing."

Josh became part of the public eye due to his parents allowing cameras to capture life with their 19 children — all of whose names begin with the letter "J." He went on to marry Anna, starting a large family of their own.

Josh Duggar with wife Anna in February 2015 — the year their life blew up. (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images)
However, in 2015, the TLC show was canceled after reports surfaced he molested five girls, including some of his sisters, prior to the show when he was a teen. No charges were filed against him, but he publicly apologized for having "acted inexcusably." (Josh later sued officials in Arkansas for releasing documents related to his molestation investigation, but the case was dismissed.)

Also in 2015, Josh was named in the Ashley Madison leak and admitted to cheating on Anna while serving as a lobbyist and briefly living in Washington, D.C.

He was also sued in 2019 for real estate fraud and lost that case.

After 19 and Counting was canceled, some family members — minus Josh — have appeared in a spin-off called Counting On. However, there's been estrangement in the family, including Jill Duggar Dillard claiming she wasn't being paid to appear on the show — with her father getting the majority of the money — until she lawyered up. In March, she revealed that she hasn't visited her parents' home in "a couple of years," saying she had to prioritize her "mental health" instead.

Josh Duggar granted bail, must remain apart from family in ‘worst of the worst’ child porn case

Scandal-plagued former "19 Kids and Counting" star ordered to home-confinement by Arkansas judge during hearing in his felony child pornography case.

www.yahoo.com

 

[hunybee]

that update makes me furious.

absolutely furious with white hot rage. lots of reasons for it if you read it.

i really think a much more intense investigation from OUTSIDE of arkansas needs to happen. the entire family needs looking to. not because they are a big family that claims to be christian, but because there have been LOTS of warning signs for many years about this family, and this should now be a real good reason. they have way too many connections in that state, which is why things have gotten to this point. there needs to be accountability here. real accountability.

 

[cyberiot]

that update makes me furious.

absolutely furious with white hot rage. lots of reasons for it if you read it.

i really think a much more intense investigation from OUTSIDE of arkansas needs to happen. the entire family needs looking to. not because they are a big family that claims to be christian, but because there have been LOTS of warning signs for many years about this family, and this should now be a real good reason. they have way too many connections in that state, which is why things have gotten to this point. there needs to be accountability here. real accountability.

I share your fury.

Like all addicts, Josh Duggar lies. Having snowed his wife the first time around, he decided she'd make a fine accountability buddy to help monitor his porn viewing. Poor Anna probably can't distinguish a partitioned hard drive from a barbecued armadillo. After his earlier spate of problems, the family pressured her to be a good Christian wife and stand by him--thus placing him higher in her pantheon than God and His laws. There's a commandment for that . . .

So now, he's achieved Porn Addict Nirvana and is looking at things that sicken even the pros. His booking photo gives me the creeps--he looks like man in his own hand. The family's fame, wealth and connections have shielded Josh Duggar from man's justice, but he'll be on his sorry own when he faces God.

I pray that God will protect and guide the innocents--Anna and her children.

 

[hunybee]

adults are supposed to protect the defenseless.

men are supposed to protect the children.

the hypocrisy makes this so much worse.

all of those kids......little kids......babies.

BABIES dammit!!


fezzik was enraged when i told him this. he just kept asking why in the hell was this guy not in jail?! why did the judge allow bail?!

we look at our kids and wonder how someone could do that.

i have more to say that is not fit.

 

[Faroe]

that update makes me furious.

absolutely furious with white hot rage. lots of reasons for it if you read it.

i really think a much more intense investigation from OUTSIDE of arkansas needs to happen. the entire family needs looking to. not because they are a big family that claims to be christian, but because there have been LOTS of warning signs for many years about this family, and this should now be a real good reason. they have way too many connections in that state, which is why things have gotten to this point. there needs to be accountability here. real accountability.

Friends in high places? I suspect there are politicians who would rather not see this pesky investigation spread.

 

[Meemur]

Yes, I expect the sickness and sin is deeply entrenched and doesn't stop with Josh. After reading the latest, I suspect he got off because he can name names. Anyone else would be sitting in jail at this point.

 

[summerthyme]

adults are supposed to protect the defenseless.

men are supposed to protect the children.

the hypocrisy makes this so much worse.

all of those kids......little kids......babies.

BABIES dammit!!


fezzik was enraged when i told him this. he just kept asking why in the hell was this guy not in jail?! why did the judge allow bail?!

we look at our kids and wonder how someone could do that.

i have more to say that is not fit.

Because in our system, he still is considered LEGALLY innocent until proven guilty in a trial. Bail is *only* supposed to ensure someone shows up for trial.

I think the main thing here is the judge, et al, are suffering from severe normalcy bias... sex crimes are NOT like most crimes. This guy is an addict... he literally may not be able (at this point) to control his urges *even if it means being jailed*. I'm not sure any non-professional can keep him following the rules.

And I sure hope every one of his kids has been checked for signs of abuse!

Summerthyme

 

[Redcat]

I have read up on him over that past couple of days (passing interest, not invested in this at all other than idle curiosity).

I guess the FBI found over 65 photos of child porn and 3 videos. One of those videos was the infamous (in underground, child porn worlds) DD video. The maker of that video is an Australian man who is now in jail in the Phillipines. It has been described by the FBI as one of the five worst child porn videos available.

This filth needs to rot in jail for 20 years (I think that is the max for this type of thing allowed by the gov't) for this case, along with 5 years for one other charge).

 

[Meemur]

I agree: he should be in jail!

One problem: he's got six children with a seventh on the way. His wife seems to have only been taught house-keeping skills, as she was expected to run the house and raise the children. If they want to keep the state out of their business, someone from their community needs to step up. She should probably divorce Josh and get another husband. An older man in their community who already has some children and has lost his wife might work.

I'm not sure that their community allows divorce, but in this case, they should make an exception.

I also imagine that if Anna's parents have totally clean hands, none of this is sitting well with them.