Federal jury finds Josh Duggar guilty in child sex abuse image trial

Former reality TV star Josh Duggar of "19 Kids & Counting" was convicted on Thursday of downloading and possessing child sex abuse images on his work computer, NBC News reported.

What are the details?

A federal jury in Fayetteville, Arkansas, found Duggar guilty on one count each of receiving and possessing child pornography.

33-year-old Duggar faces up to 20 years in prison and faces fines of up to $250,000 for each count.

In a statement on the conviction, Duggar's legal team said, "We appreciate the jury's lengthy deliberations, we respect the jury's verdict, and we intend to appeal."

Duggar initially pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his defense team said that someone else downloaded the images to his work computer and that his own personal devices were not corrupted by any related materials.

During the trial's early days, a Duggar family friend and clergy member testified that Duggar, in a 2003 admission, confessed to molesting underage girls. Duggar's team had petitioned the court to strike the clergyman from the witness list, citing clergyman privilege. Prosecutors opposed the request and said that the clergyman was among the family's closest friends and confidants.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks said sentencing will take place in approximately four months.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the western district of Arkansas told the Associated Press, "Regardless of wealth, social status, or fame, our office will continue to seek out all individuals who seek to abuse children and victimize them through the downloading, possession, and sharing of child pornography."

Behavior goes back years

Authorities began investigating Duggar after a Little Rock detective found child pornography files shared by a computer ultimately traced back to Duggar.

Related scandals have gone back years.

In 2015, TLC yanked the library of “19 Kids and Counting,” and canceled the show after an In Touch Weekly report alleged that in 2006 Duggar molested several girls when he was a teenager.

His parents in 2015 told Fox News that four out of five of Duggar's victims were his sisters.

Duggar addressed the controversy, and told People at the time that he was "extremely sorry" for the incidents.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” he in a statement on the matter. “I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation.”

'America is the best country to get justice'

Duggar's cousin, Amy Duggar King, tweeted, "May the juror’s and Judge Brooks seek healing/counseling from all that was exposed to them. May the children grow up with real Godly men as father figures who will guide and protect them. May the people who were once in disbelief have their eyes opened for the first time."

"May the daughters who were abused feel validated," she continued. "You are truly beautiful and worthy of love. May there be intense counseling/healing. May there be wisdom for all those involved on how to move forward. Thank you Jesus. Justice has been served."

Derick Dillard, one of Duggar's brothers-in-law, added that he and his wife — Duggar's sister Jill — attended portions of the trial so they could "among other things, see the facts for ourselves," and added that "America is the best country to get justice."