As the Duggar family awaits for Josh Duggar to learn his fate, Anna Duggar—his wife of 14 years—appeared to be the first one to arrive at the courthouse on Wednesday morning. According to The Sun, Anna “appeared to be in good spirits” as she waited to see if her husband, who has been found guilty of downloading and possessing child pornography, will face five to 20 years in prison.
As The Sun reported, Josh Duggar was seen wearing a gray suit, with notable facial hair. The reporter also added that Duggar appeared to have lost more of the hair on his head. After walking into the courtroom, Duggar smiled at his wife before saying hello to those around him. “Josh was in ‘happy spirits’ and joked with the judge’s clerk,” according to The Sun.
After Being Found Guilty of Downloading and Possessing Child Pornography, Josh Duggar Learns His Fate at Sentencing Hearing
Since Josh Duggar’s arrest back in May of 2021, the ex-reality star has either been on house arrest or in police custody. He has been prohibited to have contact with children unless they are his own and Anna is present.
During the hearing, Judge Timothy L. Brooks brought up the letters written by Duggar’s family and friends. Brooks reportedly called the letters “helpful” and “nice,” adding that he considered them when determining sentencing. He then addressed the victim impact statement from the mother and young girl who were seen in some of the videos found on Josh’s computer. Brooks called that statement “heartbreaking.”
In the first half of the hearing, Duggar’s legal team attempted to “argue that while the children in the CSAM are victims, they are not victims of Duggar because (again) they maintain his innocence.” The judge overruled that argument, calling it “not factual and (again) no more presumption of innocence.”
Now we know how Josh Duggar has been sentenced to 151 months in prison, which is between 12 and 13 years.
According to The Sun, Duggar will serve out his time in Seagoville, Texas or at a prison in Texarkana, Arkansas. Reporters in the courtroom at the time of his sentencing Josh didn’t show a reaction. According to Judge Brooks, he believes Josh should attend sex offender treatment, and Seagoville, Texas is known for its in-prison program.
However, it is not yet known if they have space for Duggar. Duggar also does not have to seek treatment. Anna and Jim Bob also showed little to no reaction.
On May 24, just one day before receiving his sentence, Josh’s legal team made a last-ditch effort, requesting two oral motions for acquittal. Judge Timothy L. Brooks denied both motions from the bench.
Over the last week, as Mamas Uncut reported, letters written by some of Josh’s family and friends went viral as they asked the judge for leniency when sentencing him for his crimes. Many people, including Josh’s cousin Amy, were outraged that so many people could simply ignore what Josh had done.
Prosecutors feel the same way. In a court filing, federal prosecutors revealed that they are worried Josh Duggar will re-offend if released from police custody. According to prosecutors, despite being found guilty of downloading and possessing child pornography in December 2021, prosecutors say he doesn’t hold himself accountable.
In fact, as Insider reports, Duggar actually fancies himself a “victim” and has convinced some of his family and friends of that as well. As a result, prosecutors believed Josh Duggar “will likely never be held accountable enough to seek treatment for his ‘sexual proclivities toward prepubescent girls.’”
Prosecutors also called out Duggar’s lifestyle, saying despite finding fame thanks to his family’s former reality television show, Josh is actually more well known for his disturbing behavior. While prosecutors are asking for the full sentence of 20 years in prison, his legal team is asking for a minimum of five years.
“In consideration of the extraordinary efforts Duggar took to obtain and view child sexual abuse material (CSAM), the nature of the CSAM he obtained and viewed, his efforts to conceal his criminal conduct, and his refusal to take accountability for or acknowledge any of his criminal conduct, the Government recommends the Court impose a guideline term of imprisonment of 240 months,” the government wrote in the sentencing memorandum.
RELATED: Prosecutors Believe Josh Duggar Will Reoffend and the Reason Why Is Eye-Opening
As reports have revealed, time and time against, Josh has been unfaithful to his wife in the past and has admitted to having an addiction to porn. He was also found to have molested five young girls as a teenager, four of those girls were his own sisters.
Also spotted at the courthouse, along with Anna, was Josh’s father, Jim Bob, and some of his siblings, including Joy-Anna. While Jim Bob sat with Anna on the defense’s side, The Sun reports, Joy-Anna and some of her other siblings sat on the prosecution’s side.
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