Joseph Duggar arrested for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl
19 Kids and Counting and Counting On star Joseph Duggar has been arrested for multiple Lewd and Lascivious Behavior charges involving a nine-year-old girl.
The alleged incident happened in 2020, but the girl and her family didn’t come forward to police until this week. The official charges for Joseph Duggar are Lewd and Lascivious Behavior – Molestation of a Victim Less Than 12-years-old and Lewd and Lascivious Behavior Conducted By A Person 18 Years Or Older.
Jail records indicate 31-year-old Joseph was booked in Arkansas just before 4 PM today. The charges were filed in Bay County Florida, which includes Panama City Beach.
Here is the full statement from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page:
BCSO Charges Arkansas Man For Lewd and Lascivious Conduct With A Minor
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office has arrested and charged 31-year-old Joseph Garrett Duggar for Lewd and Lascivious Behavior, involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
On March 18, 2026, Bay County investigators were contacted by a detective with the Tontitown Police Department regarding a report of past sexual abuse. The 14-year-old victim participated in a forensic interview, where she disclosed several incidents involving Duggar that occurred during a family vacation in Panama City Beach when she was 9-years-old.
According to the investigation, the incidents took place in 2020 while the family was staying at a residence on Danny Drive. The victim reported Duggar repeatedly asked her to sit on his lap. As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket. During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs.
The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology.
Investigators discovered the victim’s father confronted Duggar about these incidents on March 17th, 2026. Duggar admitted his actions to the victim’s father and to Tontitown Detectives.
Duggar was arrested out of state and charged with Lewd and Lascivious Behavior – Molestation of a Victim Less Than 12-years-old and Lewd and Lascivious Behavior Conducted By A Person 18 Years Or Older.
Duggar is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County.
Joseph Duggar and wife Kendra Duggar were fans of Panama City Beach, Florida. Below is a clip from their first visit there with their son Garrett:
The video clip was posted by TLC in March of 2019. That was one year prior to the alleged incident.
As followers of the Duggar family are likely well aware, Joseph’s older brother Josh Duggar is currently serving more than 12 years in prison after he was convicted of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography in December of 2021.
Followers of the Duggar family are also likely aware of their original show being cancelled after it was made public in 2015 that Josh allegedly molested young female family members — allegations revealed in a 2006 police report.
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com
