Five years before '19 Kids and Counting' alum Joseph Duggar was arrested on child molestation charges, his brother, Josh Duggar, was convicted as a child predator.
America's popular mega-sized conservative family, the Duggar family, is once again in the spotlight for deeply troubling allegations. Ever since the family was featured on TLC with the reality series 19 Kids and Counting, it has grabbed attention for various scandals. Just days after the arrest of Joseph Duggar for child molestation charges, his disgraced older brother, Josh Duggar, has addressed the matter from prison.
Years before Joseph's arrest, Josh had made headlines for his shocking criminal case. Now serving a lengthy prison sentence, the 38-year-old convicted s*x offender has spoken out through his attorney, citing the "stigma" he claims comes with being accused. With Joseph also mentioning his brother's arrest while being booked at the Washington County Detention Center, people are looking back at his conviction.
Joseph Duggar was arrested on March 18, 2026, for charges of "lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor" during a family vacation in Florida back in 2020. In light of his arrest, Josh issued a statement from prison through his attorney. The 38-year-old, who is currently serving a 12-year sentence in federal prison, stated that the allegations against Joseph are not true. The 19 Kids alum has reportedly been "deeply saddened" to learn that his sibling was accused of touching a child and making illicit sexual advances. Josh's attorney told the Daily Mail:
"Josh understands the stigma of being accused. He lives with the painful reality of how false accusations can destroy a life. He understands how the targeting of a person for publicity can twist the truth into sensationalised fiction."
Josh James Dugger is the oldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, born in March 1988. He grew up in a strict independent Baptist household that later made it to the TLC screens for its growing number of children and their conservative Christian upbringing. Josh is the oldest of the 19 siblings, including ten brothers and nine sisters.
After his reality TV fame, Josh went on to serve as the executive director of Family Research Council Action, a conservative lobbying group in Washington, D.C. While he had long been regarded as a model of Christian family values, his reputation came crashing down when disturbing allegations surfaced from his own siblings, and later, for his ownership of explicit videos of minors. In his personal life, Josh is married to his wife, Anna, with whom he has seven children. Anna was pregnant with their seventh child in 2021 when Josh was arrested and later given a prison sentence.
Josh had already been at the centre of serious controversy long before his 2021 conviction. As the family's eldest son, Josh Duggar was a role model of the household after his father, Jim. However, that image didn't last long. In 2015, reports revealed that Josh had a history of engaging in inappropriate behaviour with several underage girls in his teenage years. His victims surprisingly included some of his own sisters, too. The timeline of his illicit behaviour dates back to the early 2000s, when he inappropriately touched two of his younger sisters on multiple occasions.
While the family-related incidents were never prosecuted, the allegations sparked widespread backlash from viewers, forcing TLC to suspend and later permanently cancel 19 Kids and Counting after ten seasons in 2015. That incident severely damaged the once-loved family's reputation and questioned whether his strict conservative upbringing did him more harm than good. Josh, who was 27 at that time, told PEOPLE:
"Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably, for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents, who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities, where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling."
Josh Duggar's legal troubles escalated in 2021, when federal authorities arrested him on charges related to possessing and ordering tools for child molestation from the dark web. Upon checking his workplace computer, investigators found disturbing online activities, downloading files depicting child p*rn, and ordering tools related to the same. In April 2021, he was charged with possession of files, "some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12," as per a press release from the authorities. These alegations to a high-profile trial that drew national attention.
During the proceedings, prosecutors presented digital evidence linking Duggar to the material, while also outlining how it was accessed through a concealed partition on his computer system. While he pleaded not guilty, the case moved forward to trial. In December 2021, a jury found him guilty on both counts and declared him a convicted s*x offender. On May 25, 2022, Josh Duggar received a 12-year prison sentence and was ordered to pay special assessments and fines worth USD 50,100.
Currently, Josh Duggar is incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Seagoville in Texas, and he is reportedly serving a 12-year and 7-month prison sentence. After his sentence is over, he will be on supervised release for decades, wherein he will be granted limited contact with minors and closely monitored internet access. The former reality TV star's earliest projected release date falls in 2032.
31-year-old Joseph Duggar was arrested on March 18, 2026, in Bay County, Florida, on charges of lewd and lascivious conduct involving a minor. Authorities allege that the incidents took place during a 2020 family vacation and involved a nine-year-old child. He appeared virtually in court on March 20, where he waived his extradition hearing. Duggar is expected to be transferred from Arkansas to Florida to face charges, while reports indicate his wife, Kendra Duggar, has also been taken into custody. The case is still pending.
With Joseph Duggar now facing his own legal battle and Josh already serving a federal sentence, the family’s past continues to resurface, and every time, it raises difficult questions about the Duggar family's upbringing.
Also Read: Joseph Duggar Changes His Stance Amid Wife, Kendra Duggar's Arrest, Sheriff Says, 'I Don't Care...'