Josh Duggar is set to spend his third Thanksgiving in prison, and here's what he can expect on the menu as a convicted sex offender.
At the Federal Correctional Institution Seagoville in Dallas, Texas, inmates will be served roasted turkey and glazed ham as the main course. For those who prefer a meatless option, there will be veggie lasagna made with dirty rice, soybeans, and kidney beans.
Josh Duggar, 36, will also enjoy a variety of side dishes, including cornbread dressing with turkey gravy, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls. For dessert, the inmates will be treated to a selection of assorted pies.
Josh is presently serving a 151-month prison term following his arrest on child pornography charges in April 2021. According to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas, Duggar reportedly had this material, including some that shows the sexual abuse of children under 12, as far back as May 2019. Prosecutors initially sought a 20-year prison term, citing his “previous sexual exploitation of several minors” and “the significant measures Duggar took to acquire and view child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), the nature of the CSAM he accessed, and his attempts to hide his illegal activities.”
His trial occurred in December 2021, and after nine days, he was convicted on one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. However, during the sentencing phase in May 2022, the second charge was dropped. He is scheduled to be released in October 2032.
In October 2022, Josh's legal team filed for a new trial. At a court hearing in February 2023, Justin Gelfand, one of Josh’s lawyers, claimed that federal agents confiscated Josh’s phone when he tried to reach out to his attorney during a raid at his workplace over a year prior to his arrest, which led to Josh speaking with the agents without legal representation.
Ten months later, the court confirmed its decision to convict the former reality star and officially closed the appeal with a mandate on October 5, 2023, as stated in court documents. Two months after that, Josh submitted a petition to the Supreme Court of the United States to contest the ruling. The former star of 19 Kids and Counting directed the paperwork to Brett Kavanaugh, an associate justice on the Supreme Court.
In the letter, Josh’s legal team highlighted that “Mr. Duggar’s case raises an important question, inter alia, concerning a criminal defendant’s constitutional right to present a complete defense.” They expressed concerns that they had not been allotted “the time necessary to adequately prepare the petition” and that his defense would “benefit” from additional time and discussions with him. Ultimately, the petition was denied in June.
Before Josh faced arrest on child pornography charges, he revealed to his father, Jim Bob Duggar, that he had been involved with five underage girls when he was only 15. Among the victims were his own sisters, Jinger Vuolo (née Duggar) and Jessa Seewald (née Duggar). Rather than reporting this to the authorities, Jim Bob, 59, chose to send Josh to a Christian rehabilitation center after discussing the situation with church elders.
Josh Duggar is a former television personality, best known for being the eldest child in the Duggar family, which was featured on the reality TV show 19 Kids and Counting on TLC. The show, which aired from 2008 to 2015, followed the lives of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their large, conservative Christian family, focusing on their religious values and family dynamics. Josh was a central figure in the show, given his role as the oldest child in a family with 19 children.
Early Life and Background
Josh Duggar was born on March 3, 1988, in Tontitown, Arkansas, to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Growing up in a deeply conservative, evangelical Christian household, Josh was raised with strict religious principles, including the belief in abstinence until marriage and traditional gender roles. He married Anna Keller in 2008, and the couple has seven children together. The Duggars are known for their large family size and strong religious convictions, with a focus on homeschooling, modesty, and purity culture.
Multiple Legal and Personal Scandals:
2015 Molestation Scandal
In 2015, it was revealed that, as a teenager, Josh Duggar had molested several young girls, including his own sisters. The abuse occurred when Josh was around 14 and 15 years old. The Duggar family initially kept the allegations private, but they became public after a police report from 2006 was leaked to the media. Josh admitted to the abuse and publicly apologized, though he was not prosecuted at the time. His parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, were criticized for not involving the authorities and instead sending Josh to a Christian rehab program.
As a result of the scandal, TLC canceled 19 Kids and Counting and removed the Duggars from public platforms. Josh's reputation took a major hit, and he faced widespread public backlash.
2019 Infidelity and Pornography Scandal
In 2015, shortly after the molestation allegations were made public, Josh Duggar's name surfaced in the Ashley Madison hack. The data breach revealed that Josh had used the dating site to seek extramarital affairs, leading to further scrutiny of his character. Josh admitted to his actions, including being addicted to pornography and engaging in extramarital affairs. This further tarnished his public image, and he took a step back from public life.
2021 Child Pornography Charges
In April 2021, Josh Duggar was arrested on federal charges related to child pornography. Investigators found that Duggar had downloaded and possessed explicit images of children, some of which involved minors under the age of 12. This led to a high-profile trial in 2021.
In December 2021, after a nine-day trial, Josh was convicted on two counts: one for receiving child pornography and another for possessing it. During the sentencing phase, a motion to dismiss one charge was granted, and he was sentenced in May 2022 to 151 months (about 12.5 years) in prison. He was ordered to complete a sex offender rehabilitation program while incarcerated. Duggar is currently serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution Seagoville in Dallas, Texas, and is scheduled for release in 2032.
After his conviction, Josh Duggar's legal team filed for an appeal, arguing that there were issues with the way evidence was obtained, including claims that agents had improperly seized his phone. Despite these appeals, the conviction was upheld. In October 2023, Josh filed a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court for a new trial, but the petition was denied in June 2024.
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