Duggar is arrested and placed in federal hold with no bond ‘over 2019 raid on his car dealership’ – just days after his wife announced they were expecting their seventh child
- Duggar, 33, was arrested on federal charges in Arkansas Thursday and placed in federal hold with no bond
- A source said his detention is related to a Homeland Security raid on his now-closed car dealership in Springdale, Arkansas, back in November 2019
- No charges were brought against the reality star at the time
- In 2016, his father Jim Bob reported Duggar to police for allegedly molesting five young girls over multiple occasions back when he was 14 and 15
- The 33-year-old was also sued by a porn star in 2015 for allegedly assaulting her during sex but the lawsuit was later dropped
- His arrest Thursday comes just days after he and his wife Anna announced they were expecting their seventh child
Josh Duggar of the hit reality TV show 19 Kids And Counting has been arrested in connection to a 2019 raid on his car dealership, five years after he was accused of sexually assaulting five young girls as a teen.
Duggar, 33, is said to have turned himself in without incident to US Marshals in Arkansas Thursday on federal charges. He was placed in federal hold at Washington County Jail with no bond.
A source told The Sun his detention is related to a Homeland Security raid on his now-closed car dealership in Springdale, Arkansas, back in November 2019.
No charges were brought against the reality star at the time.
This marks Duggar’s latest brush with the law after his father Jim Bob reported him to police in 2016 for allegedly molesting five young girls over multiple occasions back when he was 14 and 15.
The 33-year-old was also sued by a porn star in 2015 for allegedly assaulting her during sex but the lawsuit was later dropped.
He is also currently in the midst of a separate legal battle after a civil lawsuit was filed against him for real estate fraud.
His arrest Thursday comes just days after he and his wife Anna announced they were expecting their seventh child.
Josh Duggar of the hit reality TV show 19 Kids And Counting has been arrested allegedly in connection to a 2019 raid on his car dealership. Duggar pictured in mug
Josh and his wife Anna with their children Mackenzie, 11, Michael, nine, Marcus, seven, Meredith, five, Mason, three, and Maryella, one, in 2019
There is no bond listed for the Arkansas native and no further details have been confirmed other than that he is in the ‘hold for other department.’
His charges are unclear but they are on a federal rather than local level.
Duggar’s family are said to be ‘extremely concerned’ about his arrest but not surprised, having ‘known that this has been coming for weeks’.
‘The family has known that this has been coming for weeks, and Josh has been preparing himself,’ the source told The Sun of Jim Bob, his wife Michelle, and their 19 children.
‘They are praying together for Josh and Anna, who is standing by her husband as she always has.
‘Family members are extremely concerned by what is happening and they just want to find out the truth.’
The source added that the family will be speaking out about the matter ‘shortly’ and said they ‘hope this in many ways will bring them closer together and even closer to God.’
Duggar is being held in the Washington County Detention Center in Fayetteville ahead of his first court appearance at 11 am Friday in the US District Court Western District of Arkansas.
Authorities have not confirmed the nature of the charges but they are said to be connected to the raid on his car dealership.
On November 20 2019, federal agents went to Wholesale Motorcars in Springdale, Arkansas, as part of what was described as an ‘ongoing federal investigation’.
The same week, the Duggar home was also reportedly raided but the family denied this.
Homeland Security Investigations Spokesperson Bryan Cox said at the time he could not reveal the status of the investigation.
A source told The Sun his detention is related to a Homeland Security raid on his now-closed car dealership (above) in Springdale, Arkansas, back in November 2019
‘I do not dispute the information you’ve obtained. That is the location that we were. I can’t speak to the status of any ongoing investigation,’ he said, according to KNWA.
‘But, I do not dispute that we were present at that specific address.’
Cox did confirm that there was an ongoing federal criminal investigation.
‘I can’t speak to any individual that may be under investigation. So I can confirm that we were at that address. And spoke to individuals at that location. But I can’t discuss any individuals by name,’ he added.
Just three days ago he shared Duggar and his wife of 13 years, Anna, announced they were expecting their seventh child together.
Anna shared the news to Instagram on Saturday with a video of herself and her husband hugging in a field with all six of their kids running toward the camera.
The announcement doubled as a gender reveal as pink confetti came out of a clear umbrella the couple – who are both 33 – was holding over their heads.
‘It’s a GIRL!!!!!’ the caption for the clip began. ‘We are overjoyed to announce baby seven is on the way and we can’t wait to hold her in our arms this fall!’
The Arkansas resident added the hashtag for ‘little duggars’ and ‘baby seven.’
Anne wore a beige sweater over a white dress and concealed her baby bump as she hugged her spouse.
Duggar and Anna in 2015. His arrest Thursday comes just days after they announced they were expecting their seventh child
The Duggar family are famously known for television reality shows titled ’19 Kids and Counting’ and ‘Counting On’. Josh is the eldest of the children from the show
Her hair was worn down and she was made up nicely for the shoot while Duggar wore a white polo style shirt and long blue shorts and sported a short beard.
All six kids were dressed up in casual clothes with beige, brown and blue hues.
There was also a portrait of the entire family, all smiling, taken in a field with mature trees in the background.
Josh and Anna are already parents to Mackenzie, 11, Michael, nine, Marcus, seven, Meredith, five, Mason, three, and Maryella, one.
Following their announcement, Anna was forced to defend the couple’s decision to add to their brood after a critic on social media questioned how they could afford such a large family.
‘How do you afford all those kids? Does Josh even work?’ the person wrote on social media.
Anna fired back in response: ‘Yes, my husband is a diligent worker and provides well for our family.’
It is not clear what line of work Duggar is currently involved in, with his car dealership now closed down and him resigning from his role at the Family Research Council in 2015 amid allegations of sexual assault.
A source told The Sun there is ‘no sign of him working’ and that he only leaves the warehouse that the family live in on his parents’ land to take them for a drive.
The couple had welcomed their sixth child in November 2019.
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Duggar and his family. Duggar, 33, is said to have turned himself in without incident to US Marshals in Arkansas Thursday on federal charges
The couple’s announcement on Instagram three days earlier that they are expecting another child. ‘It’s a GIRL!!!!!’ the caption for the clip began
‘Maryella Hope arrived one day ahead of Thanksgiving Day 2019 and a great reminder to be grateful for all God has done for us!’ they wrote on social media alongside a picture of the infant.
‘We are so excited and thankful to God for His special blessing giving us this precious, happy & healthy baby girl!’
Josh is the eldest of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children who all shot to fame on the reality series 19 Kids and Counting, following the devout Baptist family from 2008 to 2015.
The show was axed that year by TLC as allegations emerged that Duggar had molested five young girls.
An explosive In Touch Weekly story revealed that Jim Bob had reported his son to the Arkansas State Police for molesting the victims on multiple occasions back in 2002 when he was aged 14 and 15.
Duggar reportedly touched the girls’ breasts and genitals while they were asleep in their rooms.
According to a 33-page police report of the incident, four of the five underage girls were his sisters, and Jim Bob allegedly learned of it when Duggar confessed to him in 2002.
Duggar was allegedly disciplined at home, but the sexual abuse continued into the following year with multiple additional incidents, some of which now happened when his sisters and a babysitter were awake.
Jim Bob again waited to alert authorities, instead raising the matter with his church elders first.
This marks Duggar’s latest brush with the law after his father Jim Bob reported him to police in 2016 for allegedly molesting five young girls over multiple occasions back when he was 14 and 15. Pictured the Duggar brood
The Duggar family in 2014. The reality show was axed in 2015 when it emerged father Jim Bob had reported son Josh Duggar to authorities for molesting young girls in 2002. Two of Duggar’s sisters later said they were victims
Duggar was sent to spend three months in 2003 at the Institute in Basic Life Principles Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, according to People.
The institute’s founder, Bill Gothard, was accused of sexually harassing or assaulting 34 women in 2014 and resigned shortly afterward.
After Josh returned, his father took him to see an Arkansas state trooper, at which point he allegedly confessed to the molestations.
Despite being legally required to alert Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline to instances of sexual abuse, the trooper took no official action and only gave Duggar a ‘stern talk.’
The allegations and police report remained a public secret until 2015.
After the bombshell report surfaced, one of the victims, who may have still been a minor at the time, asked an Arkansas judge to destroy the original police report and any remaining public records related to it.
The victim’s identity has never been revealed, but it may have been one of Duggar’s own sisters who successfully had the report and all related documents destroyed.
Duggar’s sisters Jessa and Jill Duggar have since claimed they were two of their brother’s alleged victims.
Duggar’s wife Anna (pictured together) and family all stood by him after the sex abuse scandal emerged in 2015 – years after it took place
Duggar (with his family) was also rocked by another scandal when it was revealed that he had an account on Ashley Madison – the cheating website for married men
Duggar’s wife Anna and family all stood by him after the sex abuse scandal emerged, with Jessa and Jill saying they had forgiven him.
He was never charged with any crime over the allegations.
But the bombshell revelation led Duggar to resign from his position at the Family Research Council, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated as an anti-gay hate group.
He also issued a public apology addressing the claims saying: ‘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.’
Just months later, Duggar was rocked by another scandal when it was revealed that he had an account on Ashley Madison – the cheating website for married men.
He released another statement apologizing for cheating on his wife, saying: ‘I have been the biggest hypocrite ever.
‘While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the Internet and this has become a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife.’
Then, in November 2015, porn star Danica Dillon sued him for assaulting her during previously consensual sex at a Philadelphia strip club that year.
Duggar denied the allegations and his accuser later chose to have the suit dismissed.
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