Josh Duggar Released From Jail a Week After Child Pornography Arrest

Josh Duggar has been released from jail pending his July trial a week after he was arrested on child pornography charges. The former 19 Kids and Counting star, 33, was granted release on bail during a virtual hearing Wednesday and was spotted leaving the Washington County Detention Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas in a video for local station 5 News.

Duggar remains quiet in the video as he ignores reporters asking if he had a message for his family or for victims of child sexual abuse before getting into a waiting car. Duggar will be spending the next few months being monitored by GPS as he is permitted to stay with family friends Lacount and Maria Reber, where he will be confined to their home. While Duggar is not permitted to be in contact with minors, including his nieces and nephews, the father of six has been granted “unlimited contact” with his own children — Maryella Hope, 17 months, Mason Garrett, 3, Meredith Grace, 5, Marcus Anthony, 7, Michael James, 9, and Mackynzie Renée, 11 — as long as his wife Anna, pregnant with their seventh child, is present.

The judge in Wednesday’s hearing said that she did take Duggar’s past conduct into consideration when looking at his bail situation. The former reality personality admitted in 2015 to previously molesting five minor girls when he was a teenager, and sisters Jessa and Jill would come forward publicly at the time as two of his victims. Duggar’s place of work was raided by Homeland Security agents in 2019 as part of their investigation into his alleged possession of child sexual abuse material, and Special Agent Gerald Faulkner described to the court the materials discovered were “in the top five of the worst of the worst that I’ve ever had to examine.” Josh has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

“We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time,” Josh’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, said in a statement after his initial hearing. “The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious. It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner. We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.