Joseph Duggar Said Brother Josh's Sexual Abuse Crimes 'Broke My Heart' Years Before His Own Arrest on Child Molestation

Joseph Duggar was devastated upon discovering his brother Josh Duggar's child sexual abuse crimes over a decade before his own arrest for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl.

Joseph, 31, denounced Josh's sexual abuse of five girls during a December 2015 episode of Jill & Jessa: Counting On.

"Whenever somebody you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you’d never think that that’s the person who’s involved in it," the reality TV star said.

Joseph expressed shock at the time that his brother "was living such a secret life," sharing, "It broke my heart."

Josh, 38, confessed to molesting multiple young girls, including his sisters Jill Duggar and Jessa Duggar, when they were teenagers. In May 2019, he allegedly used the "dark web and online file-sharing software" to download "child sexual abuse material from the internet multiple times," the Department of Justice reported.

However, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s eldest son, who shares seven children with wife Anna Duggar, wasn't arrested until April 2021. He was convicted months later in December of that year and sentenced in May 2022 to 12.5 years behind bars.

Meanwhile, Joseph has been charged with molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older, the Bay County Sheriff's Office reported on Wednesday, March 18.

He was booked into the Washington County, Ark., jail on Wednesday just before 4 p.m. local time, according to People.

The 19 Kids and Counting star — who shares four children with his wife of nine years, Kendra Renee Duggar — reportedly had inappropriate contact with a young girl while on vacation in Panama City, Fla., in 2020.

After initially asking the 9-year-old to sit on his lap, Joseph later "asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket," Bay County Sheriff's Office said.

"During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals," the officials explained. "Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs."

"The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions, and the incidents stopped after the apology," the sheriff's office added.

The victim, now 14, was reportedly interviewed regarding a report of past sexual abuse.

Furthermore, Joseph "allegedly admitted his actions to the father and Tontitown detectives" when confronted about the incidents.

The reality star is now awaiting extradition to Bay County to face the charges, per reports.