Joseph Duggar had his bail set at $600,000 during his initial court appearance on Tuesday, which came almost two weeks after his arrest on charges of child sexual abuse.
At his arraignment in Bay County, Florida, Duggar’s lawyer requested that he receive fair treatment given his fame as a television personality.
Prosecutors argued for a “substantial” bail amount, and the judge mandated that Duggar refrain from contacting the victim or any minors.
He was taken into custody in Arkansas on March 18, facing charges related to lewd and lascivious conduct involving a child under the age of 12 and another adult victim.
According to an affidavit, Duggar confessed to the alleged victim’s father that he had abused a nine-year-old boy in 2020.
Reports state that Duggar allegedly touched the child under a blanket and repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap, later expressing regret for his actions.
At the time of the alleged incidents, Duggar was in his third year of marriage to Kendra Duggar.
The couple shares three children: Garrett, 7, Addison, 6, and Brooklyn, 5, along with a fourth child whose details remain private.
Kendra was arrested two days later, on March 20, and both faced charges for endangering a minor’s welfare and false imprisonment related to a locked room.
Kendra was released the same day but did not visit Joseph at the correctional facility before he was extradited to Florida, although they reportedly spoke on the phone frequently.
During a conversation on March 20, Kendra mentioned she had hired attorney Travis Story, clarifying that he was representing her.
Interestingly, Mr. Story previously defended Josh Duggar during his own child pornography trial in 2021, which ended in a conviction.
Despite some family members defending him, many have been critical, with parents Michelle and Jim Bob expressing their heartbreak and stating they are focusing on supporting Kendra, who is currently in a “secure location.”
