Topline: A years-old allegation brought forward by a teenage victim has led to the arrest of Duggar family member Joseph Duggar, according to authorities.
Published: March 20, 2026 8:00 am ET
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Joseph Duggar (via Washington County Sheriff's Office)
TONTITOWN, AR — Another member of the Northwest Arkansas family made famous by the TLC reality series “19 Kids and Counting” has been arrested on sex crime charges stemming from allegations dating back to a 2020 Florida vacation, according to multiple law enforcement agencies and media reports.
Joseph Garrett Duggar, 31, was taken into custody Wednesday by Tontitown police on a warrant issued out of Bay County, Florida, where he faces charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, including molestation of a victim younger than 12 and lewd and lascivious conduct by a person 18 or older, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and reporting from the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Duggar is currently awaiting extradition to Florida, authorities said.
According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, investigators were contacted Wednesday by a Tontitown police detective regarding a report of past sexual abuse. As WJHG reported, Tontitown officers said they received the report that same day, determined the alleged incident occurred in Bay County, and then contacted the sheriff’s office with jurisdiction.
A 14-year-old girl later participated in a forensic interview, where she disclosed several incidents involving Duggar that allegedly occurred when she was 9 years old during a family vacation in Panama City Beach, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and reports from WJHG and FOX 5.
Authorities said the family was staying at a home on Danny Drive at the time of the alleged incidents.
According to the sheriff’s office, the girl reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap. She also told investigators that he asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket. While under the blanket, Duggar allegedly manipulated the victim’s underwear, grazed her genitals, and continued to rub his hands on her thighs, according to the investigation.
“The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology,” the release states.
Investigators said the girl’s father confronted Duggar on March 17, 2026, about the allegations. Duggar admitted his actions to the father and later to Tontitown detectives, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, as cited by WJHG and the Democrat-Gazette.
Tontitown police said officers received the arrest warrant from Bay County around 3 p.m. Wednesday and took Duggar into custody. The department emphasized that the alleged criminal activity did not occur in Tontitown.
According to WJHG, police said the case falls under the Arkansas Child Maltreatment Act, which limits the information that can be publicly released while the investigation remains ongoing.
“What I can say is that our officers acted immediately, and we are or were working closely with the investigating agency,” the Tontitown Police Department said in a statement. “I know the community cares deeply about situations involving children, and we share that concern. Our priority is protecting the victims and preserving the integrity of the investigation.”
Authorities said all further questions about the case should be directed to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Duggar previously appeared on the TLC reality show “19 Kids and Counting,” which followed the daily life of the Duggar family before it was canceled in 2015. The show ended after it became public that Duggar’s brother, Josh Duggar, had molested several underage girls as a teenager.
Josh Duggar was later convicted on Dec. 9, 2021, in federal court in Fayetteville of possessing child pornography. He was sentenced on May 25, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks to 12½ years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine along with $40,100 in fees, according to court records cited by the Democrat-Gazette.
Prosecutors said in that case that child pornography, including material depicting the sexual abuse of children younger than 12, was downloaded in May 2019 on a computer at Duggar’s used car lot. A jury found him guilty on two counts after more than six hours of deliberation over two days, though he was sentenced on a single count because possession is considered a lesser included offense under federal law.
He is currently seeking to appeal his conviction, arguing he was denied a fair trial and that his constitutional rights were violated. His requests for post-conviction relief have been denied by local judges, the 8th U.S. Circuit.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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‘19 Kids and Counting’ Star Joseph Duggar Faces Child Sex Abuse Charges
A years-old allegation brought forward by a teenage victim has led to the arrest of Duggar family member Joseph Duggar, according to authorities.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 20, 2026 8:00 am ET
Joseph Duggar (via Washington County Sheriff's Office)
TONTITOWN, AR — Another member of the Northwest Arkansas family made famous by the TLC reality series “19 Kids and Counting” has been arrested on sex crime charges stemming from allegations dating back to a 2020 Florida vacation, according to multiple law enforcement agencies and media reports.
Joseph Garrett Duggar, 31, was taken into custody Wednesday by Tontitown police on a warrant issued out of Bay County, Florida, where he faces charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, including molestation of a victim younger than 12 and lewd and lascivious conduct by a person 18 or older, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and reporting from the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Duggar is currently awaiting extradition to Florida, authorities said.
According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, investigators were contacted Wednesday by a Tontitown police detective regarding a report of past sexual abuse. As WJHG reported, Tontitown officers said they received the report that same day, determined the alleged incident occurred in Bay County, and then contacted the sheriff’s office with jurisdiction.
A 14-year-old girl later participated in a forensic interview, where she disclosed several incidents involving Duggar that allegedly occurred when she was 9 years old during a family vacation in Panama City Beach, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and reports from WJHG and FOX 5.
Authorities said the family was staying at a home on Danny Drive at the time of the alleged incidents.
According to the sheriff’s office, the girl reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap. She also told investigators that he asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket. While under the blanket, Duggar allegedly manipulated the victim’s underwear, grazed her genitals, and continued to rub his hands on her thighs, according to the investigation.
“The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology,” the release states.
Investigators said the girl’s father confronted Duggar on March 17, 2026, about the allegations. Duggar admitted his actions to the father and later to Tontitown detectives, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, as cited by WJHG and the Democrat-Gazette.
Tontitown police said officers received the arrest warrant from Bay County around 3 p.m. Wednesday and took Duggar into custody. The department emphasized that the alleged criminal activity did not occur in Tontitown.
According to WJHG, police said the case falls under the Arkansas Child Maltreatment Act, which limits the information that can be publicly released while the investigation remains ongoing.
“What I can say is that our officers acted immediately, and we are or were working closely with the investigating agency,” the Tontitown Police Department said in a statement. “I know the community cares deeply about situations involving children, and we share that concern. Our priority is protecting the victims and preserving the integrity of the investigation.”
Authorities said all further questions about the case should be directed to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Duggar previously appeared on the TLC reality show “19 Kids and Counting,” which followed the daily life of the Duggar family before it was canceled in 2015. The show ended after it became public that Duggar’s brother, Josh Duggar, had molested several underage girls as a teenager.
Josh Duggar was later convicted on Dec. 9, 2021, in federal court in Fayetteville of possessing child pornography. He was sentenced on May 25, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks to 12½ years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine along with $40,100 in fees, according to court records cited by the Democrat-Gazette.
Prosecutors said in that case that child pornography, including material depicting the sexual abuse of children younger than 12, was downloaded in May 2019 on a computer at Duggar’s used car lot. A jury found him guilty on two counts after more than six hours of deliberation over two days, though he was sentenced on a single count because possession is considered a lesser included offense under federal law.
He is currently seeking to appeal his conviction, arguing he was denied a fair trial and that his constitutional rights were violated. His requests for post-conviction relief have been denied by local judges, the 8th U.S. Circuit.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
‘19 Kids and Counting’ Star Joseph Duggar Faces Child Sex Abuse Charges
A years-old allegation brought forward by a teenage victim has led to the arrest of Duggar family member Joseph Duggar, according to authorities.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 20, 2026 8:00 am ET
Joseph Duggar (via Washington County Sheriff's Office)
TONTITOWN, AR — Another member of the Northwest Arkansas family made famous by the TLC reality series “19 Kids and Counting” has been arrested on sex crime charges stemming from allegations dating back to a 2020 Florida vacation, according to multiple law enforcement agencies and media reports.
Joseph Garrett Duggar, 31, was taken into custody Wednesday by Tontitown police on a warrant issued out of Bay County, Florida, where he faces charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, including molestation of a victim younger than 12 and lewd and lascivious conduct by a person 18 or older, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and reporting from the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Duggar is currently awaiting extradition to Florida, authorities said.
According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, investigators were contacted Wednesday by a Tontitown police detective regarding a report of past sexual abuse. As WJHG reported, Tontitown officers said they received the report that same day, determined the alleged incident occurred in Bay County, and then contacted the sheriff’s office with jurisdiction.
A 14-year-old girl later participated in a forensic interview, where she disclosed several incidents involving Duggar that allegedly occurred when she was 9 years old during a family vacation in Panama City Beach, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and reports from WJHG and FOX 5.
Authorities said the family was staying at a home on Danny Drive at the time of the alleged incidents.
According to the sheriff’s office, the girl reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap. She also told investigators that he asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket. While under the blanket, Duggar allegedly manipulated the victim’s underwear, grazed her genitals, and continued to rub his hands on her thighs, according to the investigation.
“The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology,” the release states.
Investigators said the girl’s father confronted Duggar on March 17, 2026, about the allegations. Duggar admitted his actions to the father and later to Tontitown detectives, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, as cited by WJHG and the Democrat-Gazette.
Tontitown police said officers received the arrest warrant from Bay County around 3 p.m. Wednesday and took Duggar into custody. The department emphasized that the alleged criminal activity did not occur in Tontitown.
According to WJHG, police said the case falls under the Arkansas Child Maltreatment Act, which limits the information that can be publicly released while the investigation remains ongoing.
“What I can say is that our officers acted immediately, and we are or were working closely with the investigating agency,” the Tontitown Police Department said in a statement. “I know the community cares deeply about situations involving children, and we share that concern. Our priority is protecting the victims and preserving the integrity of the investigation.”
Authorities said all further questions about the case should be directed to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Duggar previously appeared on the TLC reality show “19 Kids and Counting,” which followed the daily life of the Duggar family before it was canceled in 2015. The show ended after it became public that Duggar’s brother, Josh Duggar, had molested several underage girls as a teenager.
Josh Duggar was later convicted on Dec. 9, 2021, in federal court in Fayetteville of possessing child pornography. He was sentenced on May 25, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks to 12½ years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine along with $40,100 in fees, according to court records cited by the Democrat-Gazette.
Prosecutors said in that case that child pornography, including material depicting the sexual abuse of children younger than 12, was downloaded in May 2019 on a computer at Duggar’s used car lot. A jury found him guilty on two counts after more than six hours of deliberation over two days, though he was sentenced on a single count because possession is considered a lesser included offense under federal law.
He is currently seeking to appeal his conviction, arguing he was denied a fair trial and that his constitutional rights were violated. His requests for post-conviction relief have been denied by local judges, the 8th U.S. Circuit.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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