Homeland Security Raided Josh Duggar’s Car Dealership Before Child Porn Charges
Josh Duggar’s latest court hearing shed new light as to why Homeland Security raided his used car dealership in November 2019.
Federal agents previously arrived at the Wholesale Motorcars business in Springdale, Arkansas, as part of an “ongoing investigation.” At the time, it was unknown what they were looking for. It has since been confirmed the charges were tied to the raid at Josh’s offices, and he fully complied with authorities.
During Josh’s May 5 court hearing via Zoom, agents said they identified a computer with videos and photos of child porn in May 2019 and later connected it to the former 19 Kids and Counting star, 33, using the IP address at his workplace.
Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Gerald Faulkner discussed one file, in particular, depicting child sex abuse involving children ranging from the age of 18 months to 12 years old, describing what he found as being “in the top five of the worst of the worst that I’ve ever had to examine.”
Josh pleaded not guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography on April 30, less than 24 hours after he was arrested in Arkansas. The TLC alum’s request for bond was later approved and Josh was released from jail on May 6, In Touch confirmed. He was allowed to go into home confinement in the custody of their family friends with GPS electronic monitoring.
Due to the conditions of his release, Lacount and Maria Reber were appointed as his third-party custodians.
“I will tell you that your own children, and your siblings, children and your [minor] brothers and sisters, they’re all part of the larger society that the court must consider in protecting from you,” Judge Comstock told the former political activist during the hearing. “I cannot in good conscience, send you home.”
The soon-to-be father of seven is now restricted to the residence at all times except for employment, rotation, religious services, medical care, attorney visits, court appearances, court-ordered obligations or other activities that the probation office must approve in advance.
Josh’s serious legal troubles come on the heels of his wife Anna Duggar’s (née Keller) announcement they are expecting another daughter together. The couple now shares six kids: daughter Mackynzie, 11, son Michael, 9, son Marcus, 7, daughter Meredith, 5, son Mason, 3, and daughter Maryella, 17 months.
Upon his release from jail, Josh is allowed to have unlimited contact with his kids as long as Anna is present, however, he can’t be around any other children.
If he is found guilty of the charges against him, Josh could be facing up to 40 years of jail time and half a million dollars in fines. The judge will decide if he serves each count concurrently or not.
Josh’s case is scheduled to go to trial on July 6, 2021.
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