Josh Duggar Seeks Bond On Child Porn Charges As Attorneys Argue He ‘Does Not Pose A Threat’ To Society

Attorneys for former “19 Kids and Counting” star Josh Duggar, who was arrested last week on federal child pornography charges, are seeking his release on bond, citing no prior convictions on his record and arguing that he “does not pose a threat” to society.

“Duggar has deep roots in this community—further underscoring that he poses no risk of flight. He was born and raised in this community and, with the exception of a stint working in politics in Washington, D.C., this has always been his home,” attorneys Justin K. Gelfand and Travis W. Story wrote in a motion obtained by Oxygen.com.

Duggar, 33, faces one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Prosecutors allege that he “used the internet to download child sexual abuse material” in May 2019. Some of the images allegedly depicted children less than 12 years old, according to an indictment in the case obtained by Oxygen.com.

Duggar’s attorneys said the charges against the father of six arise from a November 2019 search by Homeland Security Investigations of a used car dealership he used to own in Arkansas.

“The charges against him arise out of alleged conduct involving a desktop computer at a business Duggar previously owned and operated,” they wrote, adding that their client continues to maintain his innocence and has pleaded not guilty to both of the federal charges against him.

According to his attorneys, Duggar “fully complied” with federal authorities and has been aware of the investigation for more than a year while he continued to live in Arkansas with his family.

“More recently, through legal counsel, upon learning about the possibility of an indictment from the Government, Duggar expressly volunteered to self-surrender in the event the Government obtained an indictment—obviating any need to put law enforcement in the unnecessary position of having to execute his arrest,” they wrote in the motion. “Thus, even in the absence of any conditions imposed by this Court and prior to any charges being brought against him, Duggar has demonstrated an unfettered willingness to submit to any and all law enforcement directives.”

They also cited Duggar's seven-year stint on his family's reality show in arguing that he poses no flight risk.

“Duggar has a widely-recognizable face and has spent the majority of his life in the public spotlight—making any concern that he is a risk of flight all the more unwarranted,” they wrote.

In an initial appearance in court via Zoom last week, U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin Wiedemann noted that “given the nature of the charges against” Duggar he would likely need to reside with a third-party custodian who could ensure he followed the conditions of his release and had “no minors in the home” if bond was granted.

However, Duggar’s attorneys have requested he be able to return home to his pregnant wife Anna and the couple’s six children, who range in age from 5 months to 11 years old.

They added that Duggar had also selected an unnamed third-party custodian without children whom he could reside with as an “alternative.”

While Duggar has no prior criminal convictions, TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” was canceled in 2015 after it was revealed that, years earlier, police had investigated Duggar for inappropriately touching five underage girls, including several of his sisters, as a teen.

Duggar’s 27-year-old sister Jinger Vuolo recounted the moment she learned the controversy had become public in her new book “The Hope We Hold: Finding Peace in the Promises of God,” according to People.

“Earlier that day, Dad had gathered my siblings and me to tell us that the worst trial in our family history, a trial we had long since dealt with and made our peace with, was now public knowledge,” she wrote, adding that “the old wound was open again, raw, painful.”

She said the intense media scrutiny that followed was like “a bomb had exploded.”

After learning of the latest allegations against her older brother, Vuolo issued a statement on Instagram saying that she was “disturbed” by the charges.

“We are disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh,” she wrote. “While this case must go through the legal system, we want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support the authorities and judicial process in their pursuit of justice.”

Duggar is expected to appear in court Wednesday afternoon for a bond hearing to determine whether he will remain behind bars or be granted bond as the case against him proceeds.