After Josh Duggar was ordered to serve more than 12 years in federal prison, those responsible for his conviction and sentencing had some harsh words for the former reality star and others convicted of child pornography offenses.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks handed down Duggar’s 151-month sentence on Wednesday, which also stipulated he pay $50,100 in fines and special assessments and be subject to 20 years of post-release parole supervision.
After the proceedings at the Western District of Arkansas Federal Courthouse in Fayetteville, Judge Brooks described the materials Josh was convicted of downloading as “horrific and sick.”
Last May, Homeland Security agent Gerald Faulkner testified that Duggar had downloaded torrent files that included “a series of child sexual abuse material involving minor children ranging from about 18 months of age to 12 years of age.”
On Wednesday, Judge Brooks called sex offenders who look at pornography with such young children “the sickest of the sick.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts, who worked to get the 34-year-old convicted on two charges of knowingly receiving and possessing child pornography, described Duggar as a “savvy offender” with a “pattern of pervasive, longstanding sexual interest in minors.”
And though the prosecution agreed to drop one conviction against Duggar earlier in the day, reducing the total time he could serve and financial penalties he would face, Roberts reiterated after the sentencing hearing that the prosecution had request Duggar serve a full 240 months (20 years) in prison.
However, Judge Brooks did note that the former 19 Kids and Counting star had no criminal convictions and had more family support than most defendants in federal court. He also pointed out Josh had drastically fewer images than the typical child pornography defendant.
Duggar has long maintained his innocence (even unsuccessfully vying for an acquittal in January). After the sentencing, lead defense attorney Justin Gelfand stated his legal team would be filing a notice of appeal within the 14 days required by law and looked forward to litigating the one remaining count on appeal.
Gelfand added that Josh Duggar “exemplifies hard work” and “is a good person who has so much more to offer his family and his community.”
After the sentencing, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas David Clay Fowlkes, who was backed by the prosecution team and special agents, stated on behalf of the government: “This isn’t the sentence we asked for, but it is a sentence we’re proud of.”
Fowlkes said he hoped this trial sends a message to the victims of child pornography that “they are real. Their pain is real. And we will do everything within our power to make sure justice is served.”
