Content Warning: This article references child sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
Joseph Duggar has pleaded not guilty to child molestation, according to legal documents. New reports indicate the reality star entered a written plea of not guilty. Additionally, Joseph requested a jury trial during his extradition to Florida on Sunday, March 29.
The 19 Kids and Counting alum was arrested on March 18 for allegedly sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl. The incident was said to have occurred during a 2020 family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida. The arrest took place in Tontitown, Arkansas, and Joseph was extradited to Bay County, Florida, according to officials.
The former reality TV star is currently behind bars
Legal documents obtained by Us Weekly state Joseph was currently in custody in Florida. Furthermore, his arrest in Arkansas was on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older.
Following his arrest, Joseph was charged with an additional four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree, as well as four counts of false imprisonment in the second degree. Additionally, his wife, Kendra Duggar, was arrested on these same charges. However, Kendra was released on a $1,470 bond, and her arrest was reportedly unrelated to her husband’s case.
If found guilty, Joseph could be sentenced to life in prison, with Kendra approximately serving eight years. His brother. Josh Duggar, is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence since 2022 for receiving and possessing CSA images, as of 2022.
In 2015, the TLC pulled the Duggar family’s show off the air after reports emerged stating Josh Duggar molested multiple girls as a teenager, including his own sisters. The family, minus Josh, continued to appear on the network as part of the spin-off series, Counting On.
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