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Joseph Duggar, a sibling of Josh Duggar from the TLC show 19 Kids and Counting, has been taken into custody on charges of “lewd and lascivious behavior” linked to sexual conduct with a minor.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida reported on Wednesday that they have arrested and charged 31-year-old Joseph Garrett Duggar for engaging in unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
The sheriff’s office stated that a forensic interview was conducted with a 14-year-old victim, who revealed multiple incidents involving Duggar. These incidents allegedly happened during a family trip to Panama City Beach when she was just 9 years old.
The investigation suggests that these incidents took place in 2020. The victim recounted that Duggar persistently invited her to sit on his lap, then asked her to sit beside him on a couch, and subsequently covered them both with a blanket.
While beneath the blanket, Duggar allegedly manipulated the victim’s underwear and touched her genitals, in addition to rubbing his hands on her thighs, according to a statement from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Eventually, Duggar apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after his apology, the alleged victim told authorities.
The girl’s father, however, later confronted the Counting On star about the alleged incidents on Tuesday, at which point Duggar “admitted his actions to the victim’s father and to Tontitown Detectives,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Duggar was arrested out of state and charged with Lewd and Lascivious Behavior — Molestation of a Victim Less Than 12-years-old and Lewd and Lascivious Behavior Conducted By A Person 18 Years Or Older,” authorities added.
Notably, Duggar’s brother, Josh, was also arrested and charged with child sex crimes five years ago.
In 2021, Josh Duggar was charged with receiving and possessing child pornography. A federal jury in Arkansas later convicted the former reality TV star of downloading and possessing child pornography.
Joseph Duggar, who also appeared in 19 Kids and Counting, is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County, the sheriff’s office said.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.