Access Hollywood has learned that Joseph Duggar , who stars with his family on the TLC drama 19 Kids and Counting , was arrested on Wednesday, March 18, and charged with “lewd and lascivious conduct involving unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.” The reality star is accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl while on vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2020, according to a statement from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, which noted that the 14-year-old victim is undergoing a forensic interview after being contacted by the Tondetown, Arkansas Police Department after receiving reports of past sexual abuse. “According to the investigation, these incidents occurred in 2020 while the family was living at a residence on Danny Drive. The victim reported that Duggar asked her to sit on his lap multiple times. As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit on the couch next to him and cover them with a blanket,” the statement alleges in part, adding that Duggar allegedly touched the victim inappropriately on multiple occasions. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office later claimed that Duggar “eventually apologized for his actions” and the incident was discontinued. The 31-year-old man admitted his conduct to Tontitown detectives and the victim’s father after a confrontation with the victim’s father on March 17, 2026, according to authorities. He is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County after his arrest in Tondetown. Access Hollywood has reached out to TLC and the Duggar family for comment.
‘19 Kids and Counting’ Star Joseph Duggar Arrested On Accusations of Molesting a Minor
