JOSH Duggar has been branded “evil” by the mother of one of his child pornography victims, as prosecutors are demanding the disgraced star receive 20 years in prison. Josh, 34, was found guilty of possessing and receiving child pornography on December 9 and will be sentenced for the crimes on May 25. The Sun can […]
JOSH Duggar has been branded “evil” by the mother of one of his child pornography victims, as prosecutors are demanding the disgraced star receive 20 years in prison.
Josh, 34, was found guilty of possessing and receiving child pornography on December 9 and will be sentenced for the crimes on May 25.
The Sun can exclusively reveal from court papers that prosecutors are demanding the father of seven receive 20 years in prison, as the mother of one of the victims in the images has spoken out in support of the Government.
The Government wrote in the sentencing memorium: “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.”
Prosecutors believe it is “important” for them to “highlight the pain his predation caused in the words of his victims.”
The court papers read: “As the parent of one of the victims depicted in the CSAM the defendant downloaded explained, her daughter became an ‘anxious and fretful shadow of her former self’ after being sexually abused.
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“And when addressing the harm caused by offenders like Duggar, who traffic in images depicting the worst moments of her daughter’s life, she wrote: ‘I can find no words to express the fury I feel at those who participate in this evil, or my scorn for any attempt to minimize the responsibility by feeble claims that the crime was ‘victimless.’
“‘My daughter is a real person. She was horribly victimized to provide this source of ‘entertainment.’ She is exploited anew each and every time an image of her suffering is copied, traded or sold. While the crime is clearly conscienceless, it is hardly ‘victim-less.’
The mother asked her daughter what she wanted most from the judge.
Her request was, according to the court papers: “‘Please, don’t let them pretend no-one’s getting hurt!’”
The victim said of Josh: “‘Don’t you know no one should do that to a little girl! Don’t you know it hurts!’”
The court documents continued: “As the mother of a child victimized by this crime, I would ask that the court take into consideration the damage done by this heartless crime to my daughter and others like her (including those children who still wait for someone to rescue them from their exploitation, and have no-one here today to speak for them) and impose a sentence that takes into account the full impact of the crime on the victims.”
The prosecution continued in their argument: “Those are the words of just one parent of just one victim. There are many more victims of Duggar’s crimes, all of whom were subjected to extreme and unimaginable instances of sexual abuse and violence.
“Some of the victims depicted in the CSAM he downloaded and possessed, like the victim described above, have been identified and rescued. Others have not, and the pain and trauma they have experienced as a result of Duggar’s conduct will go unvoiced at the sentencing hearing.”
The Government also brings up when Josh molested minor females in the family home when he was a teenager.
The police report taken in 2006 was made public in 2015, as sisters Jill, 30, and Jessa, 29, came forward as two of the victims.
The court papers claimed: “This Court is now presented with an offender who has a history of sexually abusing minors, who has not received any treatment or therapy for this conduct to speak of, who appears unlikely to ever seek out or meaningfully participate in treatment or therapy to address this conduct, and who continues to deny any responsibility for his past or present crimes.
“There is simply no indication that Duggar will ever take the steps necessary to change this pattern of behavior and address his predilection for minor females.
“Given these circumstances, this Court should be particularly mindful in crafting its sentence of the likelihood that Duggar reoffends upon his release from incarceration and what his reoffending conduct will entail.”
Prosecution then went into the type of child pornography Josh downloaded, calling it “sadistic,” “masochistic ” and “violent.”
The court papers read: “In fact, the forensic evidence presented at trial included multiple torrent files related to a series of CSAM that has repeatedly been described by law enforcement as being among the worst of the worst.”
Prosecutors claim over 600 images of child pornography were involved in the case, as opposed to Josh’s team arguing there were 127 photos.
District Judge Timothy L. Brooks will decide on the exact number of years based on a range determined by the Federal Sentencing Table that factors in criminal history, age of victims involved in the child sexual abuse material, number of images and more.
Josh, who has maintained his innocence, has responded by asking for 60 months in prison.
Josh’s legal team filed a motion for an acquittal of the guilty verdict, a new trial, or the dismissal of the possession of child pornography charge.
Prosecutors responded by claiming “the evidence of the defendant’s guilt is clear and overwhelming.”
Josh’s attorneys fired back by calling the trial and guilty verdict “unconstitutional.”
A judge has not ruled on the appeal.
The Presentence Investigation Report, which helps determine the appropriate sentence, was completed in February.
Josh’s legal team filed a response/objection to the findings, though all documents are sealed.
Josh was arrested and charged with possessing and receiving child pornography in April 2021.
The highly-publicized jury trial lasted two weeks before the jury submitted a guilty verdict on both counts.
At trial, prosecutors presented damning evidence from Josh’s HP computer.
It was revealed that one file name found on his HP desktop computer was of a video of a “3-month-old being sexually abused.”
One folder contained 65 thumbnail files of an underage girl.
The jury was shown the images and videos prosecutors claim were found on his computer.
Prosecutor William Clayman provided alleged texts and photos were taken on Josh’s phone at the car lot to show he was there at the same time child pornography content was downloaded at Wholesale Motorcars.
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When the verdict was read, the Counting On alum was immediately handcuffed and taken into custody at Washington County Jail, where he was placed in solitary confinement away from other prisoners for his safety until his sentencing.
Josh shares seven children with his wife Anna, who has stood by his side.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE (4673).
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