Ex-reality TV star Josh Duggar found guilty in child pornography trial

Josh Duggar is staring down 20 years in prison after an Arkansas jury on Thursday found him guilty of receiving and possessing child porn.

Duggar was found guilty after seven hours of deliberation following a six-day trial, according to NBC’s Fayetteville station KNWA. He is also expected to have to pay fines of up to $250,000 for each charge.

TLC canceled the Duggar family’s show, “19 Kids and Counting,” after reports surfaced that Josh Duggar had molested five girls, including his sisters, when he was a minor. TLC then canceled a spin-off after Duggar was arrested over child porn in April this year.

The defense argued that someone else had downloaded the child porn that was discovered on Duggar’s work computer, according to the Associated Press.

Josh Duggar, his wife Anna and his legal time arrive at the John Paul Hammerschmidt Federal Building in Fayetteville on December 9, 2021.
Josh Duggar, his wife Anna and his legal time arrive at the John Paul Hammerschmidt Federal Building in Fayetteville on December 9, 2021.

During the trial, a friend of the Duggar family said that Josh had discussed downloading software to up the privacy on his computer.

A different friend of the family testified that Duggar admitted to inappropriately touching girls in 2003 in a conversation with her, and provided more details about what he did in 2005.

Josh Duggar
Duggar faces a possible 20 years in prison.
Josh Duggar's lawyers argued that someone else had downloaded the child porn that was discovered on Duggar's work computer.
Josh Duggar’s lawyers argued that someone else had downloaded the child porn that was discovered on Duggar’s work computer.

The case was prosecuted under the Justice Department’s “Protect Safe Childhood” inaitiative, which works to combat child sex exploitation.

The Justice Department said at the time of his arrest that some of the porn he downloaded had kids under the age of 12 in it.

The sentence will be announced at a later date.

Per: NYP

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