The 82-year-old Thomas Markle, father of Duchess Meghan, was arrested by FBI agents in Florida on Friday, November 6. Federal prosecutors charge him with possessing child pornography; the man has not yet pleaded guilty.
What prosecutors allege
The US Department of Justice announced that Thomas Wayne Markle of Lakeland, Florida, was detained on the basis of a federal criminal complaint. It contains one charge of possessing child pornography. According to prosecutors, he stored material depicting the sexual abuse of children, including photographs of himself with underage girls, in two storage units in the Los Angeles area. He had rented them since 2008.
„Mr. Markle is charged with possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children, including photos showing him with underage girls” said First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli, who heads the office for the Central District of California. He added that the charges are „extremely serious” and that the case will be prosecuted „to the full extent of federal law”.
Search of the storage units and arrest
According to the statement, agents seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books containing the suspect material. In two photographs, a man whom a witness identified as Markle is allegedly visible with a nude girl who had not yet reached puberty. FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrest followed an investigation by the Bureau.
Markle was arrested at a senior care home in Lakeland. His first appearance before a federal court in Tampa was scheduled for Friday at 1:30 p.m. local time. Possession of child pornography carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. He is presumed innocent.
Earlier investigation in the Philippines
The case is not new: two weeks ago, law enforcement in the Philippines, where Markle lived for some time, opened proceedings over similar charges. The country’s child protection unit at the Department of Justice confirmed that the case is ongoing. Markle previously denied the accusations, calling them „sick lies”.
Meghan Markle, who married Prince Harry in 2018, had previously said she was „deeply moved” by the allegations against her father. As of publication, her spokesperson had not responded to questions about the arrest. The Duchess has for years limited contact with her father, who did not attend her wedding.
