Thomas Markle Sr. arrested in Florida on child pornography charges
Federal agents arrested Meghan Markle’s father in Tampa on a count of possession of child sexual abuse material, and he is expected to appear in court later Friday.
Federal authorities arrested Thomas Markle Sr. in Tampa, Florida, on Friday on a federal criminal complaint alleging possession of child sexual abuse material. The complaint states that Markle kept explicit photographs of himself with prepubescent girls in two Los Angeles-area storage units he had rented for nearly two decades. He is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and is scheduled to make an initial appearance in United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
"Mr. Markle is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material, including photographs depicting himself with minor girls," said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. "These allegations are extremely serious, and we will prosecute Mr. Markle to the fullest extent of federal law."
FBI Director Kash Patel said the investigation found Markle "in possession of child sexual abuse material" and emphasized the agency's commitment to protecting children. Assistant Director Patrick Grandy of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office highlighted the role of public vigilance in reporting suspected abuse.
Agents searched the two storage units, seizing about 78 items such as slides, film negatives and books that contained suspected illegal material. If convicted, Markle faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The arrest follows reports that Meghan’s half-brother discovered a large quantity of similar images while clearing out their father’s home in the Philippines and alerted authorities. The Metropolitan Police in London had received a 2019 letter raising concerns about the Duchess of Sussex’s security and alleged wrongdoing, which is now being referred to overseas law-enforcement agencies.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said she was "deeply distressed" by the allegations and reiterated that she has kept her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, away from her father for their safety. She expressed hope that justice would be served and that the focus remains on protecting children.