Josh Duggar

Josh Duggar
Duggar in 2007
Born
Joshua James Duggar

(1988-03-03) March 3, 1988 (age 36)
Tontitown, Arkansas, U.S.
Occupation(s)Reality television personality, political activist
Years active2004–2015
Known for
Criminal statusIncarcerated
Spouse
Anna Keller
​
(m. 2008)​
Children7
Parent(s)Jim Bob Duggar (father)
Michelle Duggar (mother)
Relatives18 siblings, including Jana, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna
Conviction(s)Receipt of child pornography (18 U.S.C. § 2252)
Possession of child pornography (18 U.S.C. § 2252)
Criminal penalty12 years and 7 months in federal prison, 20 years supervised release, $10,000 fine, $40,100 special assessment

Joshua James Duggar (born March 3, 1988)[1] is an American convicted sex offender and former reality television personality. The eldest of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar's nineteen children,[2] Duggar and his family gained fame as the focus of the TLC series 19 Kids and Counting, spun off from a series of television specials. Duggar served as the executive director of FRC Action, a lobbying political action committee sponsored by the Family Research Council, from June 2013 to May 2015. He resigned from the position after he was reported to have molested multiple underage girls, including four of his siblings, when he was aged between 12 and 16.[3]

These revelations led to the cancellation of 19 Kids and Counting on July 16, 2015.[4][5][6] The consequent fallout was named one of the "10 Big Scandals of 2015" by USA Today, and The Washington Post listed Duggar as one of the fifteen most hated people on the Internet for that year.[7][8] While the family returned in the Counting On spin-off, Duggar did not take part in the production of the new series.

On April 29, 2021, Duggar was arrested by U.S. Marshals on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography.[9] He was found guilty on all charges on December 9, 2021.[10][11] Duggar was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison on May 25, 2022.[12]

  1. ^ "Family Scrapbook- The Boys". The Duggar Family (official website). Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  2. ^ "Duggar Family - Encyclopedia of Arkansas". encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  3. ^ Herrnson, Paul S.; Shaiko, Ronald G.; Wilcox, Clyde (2005). The Interest Group Connection: Electioneering, Lobbying, and Policymaking in Washington. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. p. 410. ISBN 978-1-56802-922-1. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  4. ^ Ohlheiser, Abby; Bailey, Sarah Pulliam; Izadi, Elahi (May 22, 2015). "Josh Duggar apologizes amid molestation allegations, quits Family Research Council". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  5. ^ "Josh Duggar Accused of Molesting Underage Girls". PopSugar. May 22, 2015. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  6. ^ "Watch: Duggar Sisters Defend Josh in 'Kelly File' Exclusive". Fox News Channel. June 5, 2015. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  7. ^ Durando, Jessica (December 24, 2015). "10 big scandals of 2015: Deflategate, Cosby, AshleyMadison.com and more". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  8. ^ Dewey, Caitlin (December 22, 2015). "Whatever happened to the 15 people the Internet hated most in 2015?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  9. ^ Sosa, Ninette (April 30, 2021). "Josh Duggar formally charged with receiving and possessing child porn, pleads not guilty". KSNW.
  10. ^ Madani, Doha; Dasrath, Diana (December 9, 2021). "Josh Duggar found guilty in child sex abuse image trial". NBC News.
  11. ^ Shellnutt, Kate (December 9, 2021). "Josh Duggar found guilty in Child Sex Abuse Materials Case". Christianity Today.
  12. ^ "Reality TV's Josh Duggar gets 12 years in child porn case". AP NEWS. May 25, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.