Former reality television star Joseph Duggar was arrested Wednesday in Arkansas on felony child molestation charges and is currently awaiting extradition to Florida. The 31-year-old faces formal charges of lewd and lascivious behavior toward a child under the age of 12, stemming from an arrest affidavit filed by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Panama City, Florida.
The charges originate from a family trip to Panama City Beach in 2020. According to a public statement by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the abuse occurred at a residence on Danny Drive. A 14-year-old girl recently participated in a forensic interview, reporting that Duggar molested her multiple times when she was nine years old.
The victim stated Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap and next to him on a couch, covered them with a blanket, manipulated her underwear, grazed her genitals, and rubbed her thighs. The incidents reportedly stopped after Duggar apologized to the victim.
SEX CHARGES FOR A DUGGAR.
Joseph Duggar of "19 Kids and Counting" has been arrested and charged with Lewd and Lascivious Behavior, involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
According to the Bay County, FL Sheriff', investigators were contacted by a detective with the… pic.twitter.com/WiMBjMEmuj
— 0️⃣BlackBetty ⚓️ (@BabyD1111229) March 19, 2026
Earlier this week, the victim’s father confronted Duggar about the incidents, and Duggar reportedly admitted to the abuse. Police in Tontitown, Arkansas, subsequently instructed the father to call Duggar with a detective on the line. During that recorded call, Duggar confessed to the actions a second time.
Duggar was officially booked into the Washington County Detention Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, at 3:59 PM local time on March 18, 2026. He faces two specific felony charges: lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years old, and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older. He remains in custody and is scheduled for an initial court appearance on March 20, 2026.
The arrest occurs almost five years after his older brother, Josh Duggar, was convicted of downloading child sexual abuse images. Josh Duggar is currently serving a 151-month federal prison sentence at FCI Seagoville in Texas, with a projected release date in 2032.
Both brothers were prominent figures on the TLC reality series 19 Kids and Counting. The network canceled the flagship program in 2015 following earlier molestation scandals involving the eldest brother. This latest arrest marks another severe legal crisis for the family, whose lucrative footprint in the entertainment industry was dismantled by the successive criminal convictions.