Joseph Duggar, a former personality on the television series “19 Kids and Counting,” was taken into custody in Arkansas on Wednesday on charges of inappropriate behavior involving illegal sexual activity with a minor, as per authorities. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office noted that the charges stem from an incident in Florida in 2020. A 14-year-old girl disclosed in a March 2026 forensic interview that Duggar had engaged in inappropriate behavior with her during a family trip to Panama City Beach when she was nine years old.
Duggar’s arrest occurred in Tontitown, Arkansas, where the show “19 Kids and Counting” was filmed. According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Duggar confessed to the victim’s father and Tontitown Detectives on March 17, 2026, following the father confronting him about the incidents.
The Tontitown Police Department issued a warrant for Duggar’s arrest on the same day, and he is awaiting extradition to Bay County. Neither Duggar nor his family has addressed the allegations publicly. This incident follows the arrest and conviction of Duggar’s brother, Josh Duggar, for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material. TLC canceled “19 Kids and Counting” in 2015 due to allegations of Josh Duggar molesting his sisters and a babysitter, although the statute of limitations had expired for any potential charges.