Josh Duggar To Be Released From Jail, Has 'Unlimited Contact' With Kids As Long As Wife Anna Duggar Is Present
An Arkansas judge has granted Josh Duggar's request for bail, ruling he will be released from jail on Thursday following his child porn arrest.
The 33-year-old will reportedly be allowed "unlimited contact" with his six children too, as long as his wife Anna Duggar is present.
According to The Sun, Duggar will not be allowed to return home to his pregnant wife and their brood but he can talk to them as long as she supervises.
As for his nieces and nephews, Duggar is permitted from speaking to them because the judge ruled he can't talk to minors who aren't his children.
Instead of returning home, Duggar will stay with a third-party custodian and must wear a GPS ankle monitor.
He also can't use anything that will allow him access to the Internet.
He has been accused of possessing 65 images and one video of child pornography, with some reportedly including children as young as five years old.
The oldest of the famed 19 Kids and Counting tribe was arrested on Thursday of last week and booked at the Washington County Sheriff's office in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The following day, he was formally charged with two counts of receipt and possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty.
At the time, the judge had stated that if bond were to be granted, Duggar would need to live in a home without minors.
Josh – who is already a father to six children – had previously asked the judge to release him from jail so that he could take care of his pregnant wife, arguing he was not a flight risk for several reasons.
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Firstly, he said he had "no criminal convictions, and has known about this federal criminal investigation since November 2019 when Homeland Security Investigations executed a search of Duggar's prior workplace."
Next, Duggar allegedly stated he's cooperated with the U.S. Attorney's Office and has kept in open contact with them regarding the probe. He noted they even allowed him to self-surrender to authorities.
And lastly, Duggar claimed he's simply too famous to be able to fly under the RadarOnline.com undetected.
Josh is being accused of downloading child sexual abuse material – some of which allegedly showed children under the age of 12 – in May 2019. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines on each count.
This is not, however, Josh's first offense as it pertains to inappropriate behavior involving children.
In 2015, Duggar was investigated by the Springdale Police Department regarding allegations that he molested five girls who were minors – including four of his sisters and a babysitter – when he was 14 years old.
No charges were filed against Josh because the statute of limitations, which at that time was three years, had expired by the time the investigation was launched.
"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 said in a statement at the time. "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's most recent legal woes come less than a week after he and his wife announced they were expecting their seventh child together – a baby girl. Married since 2008, Josh and Anna are already parents to Mackynzie Renée, Michael James, Marcus Anthony, Meredith Grace, Mason Garrett, and Maryella Hope.
The Duggar family rose to fame on the hit TLC series 19 Kids And Counting, which ran for seven years until its cancellation in 2015. The show documented the life of a large, Southern family made up of devout Baptists, headed by strict and conservative parents Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar. Together, they had 19 children – nine daughters and ten sons – all of whom have names that begin with the letter J. During the duration of the show, two children were born (the series was formerly titled 17 Kids And Counting and then18 Kids And Counting), three kids got married and four grandchildren were added to the mix.