How Josh Duggar Allegedly Hid His Porn Usage from His Wife, Plus: Where Is He Staying After His Release?

More details are surfacing about Josh Duggar’s child pornography charges.

At a virtual hearing on Wednesday, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Gerald Faulkner testified about the investigation. It was previously reported that the Wholesale Motorcars dealership where Duggar works was raided by Homeland Security in November 2019.

According to People, Faulkner said that over the course of three days in May 2019, Duggar allegedly downloaded files of children being sexually abused. Faulkner called the images “in the top five of the worst of the worst that I’ve ever had to examine.”

The files were flagged and traced back to an IP address on Duggar’s computer, which was located at the Wholesale Motorcars dealership, according to People.

Faulkner claims that when agents arrived to the dealership to investigate, Duggar “spontaneously” asked, “What is this about? Has someone been downloading child pornography?”

The agent further stated that when asked if he had seen any child pornography or possessed any himself, Duggar allegedly responded, “I’d rather not answer that question.”

TMZ reports authorities uncovered 200 images depicting naked children and sexual abuse, and that some children were as young as 5.

Investigators found “accountability software” on Duggar’s computer called Covenant Eyes, which is meant to help with porn addiction. The software sends reports of objectionable online usage to a person on file. In this case, the agent said the program was registered to Duggar and reports were going to his wife, Anna.

Faulkner explained that because Duggar was using a password-protected network, Covenant Eyes did not detect his usage in this case

According to Faulkner, the images were found on an isolated part of the computer’s hard drive not monitored by Covenant Eyes, which has over 150,000 subscribers.

During the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Christy Comstock ruled that Duggar may be released to “close friends” Lacount Reber and his wife Maria.

Federal probation officer Diem Nguyen told the court, “She and her husband felt that they should help Mr. Duggar’s parents and Mr. Duggar. I believe that… based on Mr. Reber’s job occupation, the fact that he’s a pastor and volunteers [at] Gentle Ministries, I believe that they could be suitable third-party custodians. However, the minors that come to the home causes the Probation Office some concern, as well as the pistols that won’t be locked away in a safe and or removed from the home also causes the Probation Office concern.”

In response, Maria told the court that they would remove the firearms. She stressed, “We want to be able to help… with God’s help. I am looking at it as we are here of help for the family… to Josh and Anna, and we want to minister to them as best as we can… My husband has made the decision and I’m here to support that decision… My husband has a passion and love for ministry, and as a family, we have always ministered to others. Maybe not in this capacity, but as we go through life, you just never know what God puts in front of you in such a time as this.”

Lacount added, “I’m agreeing to do what it takes to be a help to them. We help friends when they need help.”

Comstock did not have “good conscience” to release Duggar to his wife and family, but allowed him “unlimited contact” with his six children as long as wife Anna is present. Comstock told him, “Don’t make me regret this decision.”