Thomas Markle placed under house detention in Florida after child sex abuse material charge
The 82-year-old father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was ordered into house detention at a Florida assisted-living facility following a federal charge of possessing indecent images of children.
Thomas Markle, 82, was taken into house detention at an assisted-living facility in Florida after a federal complaint charged him with possessing indecent images of children, the U.S. Department of Justice said. The arrest followed an FBI search of two Los Angeles-area storage units registered to him. During a 30-minute hearing, a federal prosecutor outlined the charge and ordered electronic monitoring, but no plea was entered. Markle was escorted to court in a wheelchair by U.S. Marshals.
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Central California issued a joint statement indicating that an arraignment date in California will be set later. The FBI said it will "use every single resource at our disposal to protect innocent kids – any predator who targets children will have zero safe haven in this country or anywhere they try to hide."
Meghan Markle previously described the allegations as "sick lies." In October, London’s Metropolitan Police disclosed that it had received a 2019 letter containing claims about Markle outside the UK and had referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The Duchess of Sussex said, "I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed."