Josh Duggar, the former star of the reality TV series “19 Kids and Counting,” pleaded not guilty to charges of receiving and possessing child porn in an Arkansas court Friday. His attorneys declined to have the judge read out the charges against him.
According to a statement released by the United States Attorney’s Office, the 33-year-old is accused of using the internet in May 2019 to download child sexual abuse material. He was arrested by U.S. marshalls on Thursday.
Duggar appeared virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. When asked if he understood what he was charged with, Duggar replied, “Yes, your honor.”
Duggar remains in jail without bail while awaiting his bond hearing. If bail is subsequently set and he makes it, he will need to be in a home without minors. Duggar and his wife Anna have six children and are expecting their seventh.
In a statement posted to the Duggar Family website, Josh Duggar’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, said, “We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious. It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner. We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family.”
The case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse launched by the Department of Justice in 2006.
Duggar was one of the many stars of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” for nearly a decade. The show, which chronicled the lives of parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their many offspring, was canceled in 2015 after Josh admitted to having sexually abused five teenage girls when he was a teenager. Two of his sisters, Jessa and Jill Duggar, later came forward as two of his victims.
See the U.S. Attorney’s Office statement detailing Duggar’s charges below:
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