TL;DR
Get movie nights delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
The U.S. Department of Justice says Thomas Markle, 82, was arrested in Florida and charged with one count of possessing child pornography. The charge is based on a federal criminal complaint alleging material was kept in two Los Angeles-area storage units; Markle previously denied possessing images of child abuse. He is due to make an initial court appearance in Tampa, where no cameras are permitted.
Thomas Markle, the 82-year-old father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was arrested in Florida and charged with one count of possessing child pornography, the U.S. Department of Justice said. The federal criminal complaint alleges that he kept child sexual abuse material in two Los Angeles-area storage units; Markle is due to appear in court in Tampa, and the allegations have not been tested at trial.
The Justice Department said Markle, who lives in Lakeland, Florida, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint. The department alleges that material was stored in two units in the Los Angeles area, which it said he had rented for nearly two decades. It described the alleged contents as including sexually explicit photographs of Markle with prepubescent girls.
According to the department, agents searched the storage units and seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books that officials said contained suspected child sexual abuse material. The figure is the number of items seized, not a count of confirmed images or victims. The criminal complaint sets out allegations; a charge is not a finding of guilt.
Markle was expected to make his initial appearance at the U.S. District Court in Tampa at 13:30 ET (18:30 GMT). BBC correspondent Ione Wells reported that cameras are not allowed inside the courtroom. The appearance could provide information about his plea and whether he will remain in custody or be released on bail, though those decisions were not confirmed in the BBC report.
Federal Charge Puts Case Before Court
The arrest moves a serious criminal allegation involving Meghan’s father into the federal court process. The charge concerns alleged possession of child sexual abuse material, and court proceedings will determine how the case develops. At this stage, the public information comes from the Justice Department’s account of the complaint and should not be treated as proof of guilt.
The case also has a public dimension because it involves a close relative of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their spokesman said the couple were not commenting on the arrest. That silence does not establish their view of the allegations or indicate what, if anything, they know about the case.
Popular right now
KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, Almond Cream
De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo Espresso Machine with Grinder
Dyson Ball Animal 3 Upright Vacuum – Corded, 290 AW, De‑tangling Motorbar Cleaner Head, 3 Suction Modes
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Earlier Allegations and Denials
Markle has previously strongly denied allegations that he possessed images of child abuse, describing them as “sick lies,” according to the BBC. The current charge is based on a federal criminal complaint, and it is not yet clear from the available reporting how Markle will respond in court.
Meghan said last month that in 2019 she had been forwarded a letter from the UK’s Metropolitan Police containing what she called “disturbing allegations” about her father. The BBC reported that the letter had been written by Markle’s first wife. The report does not establish that those earlier allegations are the same as, or part of, the federal case now before the court.
“Authorities “moved quickly, identified and located the explicit material””
— FBI Director Kash Patel
Plea and Custody Status Awaited
At the time of the BBC report, it was not clear how Markle would plead or whether he would remain in custody after his first court appearance. The report also did not provide a public account from Markle or his lawyer responding to the current federal complaint.
The Justice Department described the seized items as containing suspected material. The available information does not establish what the court will find, whether further charges will be filed, or whether all details of the case will become public. The BBC said the case had been under seal earlier; sealing can limit public access to filings, including to protect victims’ identities or confidential information.
Court Appearance Sets Immediate Course
The next reported milestone is Markle’s initial appearance in federal court in Tampa. The proceeding may clarify the charge, his plea and any decision about custody or bail. Because cameras are barred, public updates are likely to rely on court records and statements from the parties or authorities.
The BBC report also said Prince Harry and Meghan were scheduled to appear in Brussels on Tuesday to open the Lost Screen Memorial, which remembers children who died because of social media harms. The couple may face questions about the arrest, but their spokesman had not commented. Any further developments in the criminal case should be distinguished from public discussion of the family’s response.
Key Questions
What was Thomas Markle charged with?
The Justice Department says Markle was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. The charge is based on a federal criminal complaint and is an allegation, not a conviction.
What does the complaint allege?
The department alleges that Markle kept child sexual abuse material in two Los Angeles-area storage units. It said agents seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books that officials described as containing suspected material.
When and where is he due in court?
He is due to make an initial appearance at the U.S. District Court in Tampa at 13:30 ET (18:30 GMT), according to the BBC report. The report said cameras would not be allowed inside.
Have Meghan and Prince Harry commented?
A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they were not commenting on the arrest, according to the BBC. No further response was included in the report.
Has Thomas Markle admitted guilt?
The BBC report did not say that Markle had entered a plea. It reported that he had previously denied possessing images of child abuse; his response to the current charge was still unknown at the time.
Source: bbc.com
