Joseph Duggar‘s mugshot has officially been released after his arrest for alleged child molestation.
The newly-released photo shows a bearded Duggar, 31, with a somber expression. In the photo, Duggar is wearing a dark grey T-shirt and seemingly has unkempt hair. (The Tontitown Police Department’s booking entry lists Duggar as 5’9 and 206 lbs at the time of his arrest.)
News broke on Wednesday, March 18, that Duggar was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older.
According to a press release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, investigators were contacted by a detective from the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas about a report of past sexual abuse. An alleged 14-year-old victim recalled several alleged incidents involving Duggar when she was 9 years old.
The girl was on a family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2020 when Duggar allegedly asked her to sit on his lap and “grazed her genitals” while under a blanket. Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology before the victim’s father confronted the former reality star on Tuesday, March 17. Authorities noted that Duggar allegedly admitted his actions to the victim’s father and to Tontitown detectives.
Duggar is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County. The Duggar family was introduced in 2008 with the premiere of their TLC series 19 Kids and Counting. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar‘s large family and conservative lifestyle fascinated viewers, but a darker side of their religious group was exposed after TLC cut ties with the Duggars following their son Josh Duggar’s 2021 arrest and subsequent conviction on child pornography charges.
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It was originally reported in 2015 that Josh, now 38, molested five girls, two of whom were his sisters, when he was a teenager. Josh apologized for his actions at the time, revealing that he’d previously sought counseling for his “wrongdoings” as a teen.
“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” he wrote via the family’s Facebook account in 2015. “I hurt others, including my family and close friends.”
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Josh and wife Anna Duggar remained married and expanded their family with seven kids. In 2021, Josh was arrested on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty and was later sentenced to 151 months in prison, which he is still currently serving.
Joseph, meanwhile, is currently married to wife Kendra Duggar. The couple wed in 2017 and share four children: sons Garrett and Justus, as well as daughters Addison Renee and Brooklyn.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
