TRUE CRIMEJosh Duggar Victim's Mother Speaks Out As Prosecutors Fight For Maximum Sentence
A mother of one of the children featured in Josh Duggar's child sexual abuse material has come forward to address the unspeakable damage the former Counting On star has done to his victims.
As OK! reported, prosecutors are seeking the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count after Duggar was found guilty of receiving and possessing child pornography on Thursday, December 9.
"In consideration of the extraordinary efforts Duggar took to obtain and view child sexual abuse material (CSAM), the nature of the CSAM he obtained and viewed, his efforts to conceal his criminal conduct, and his refusal to take accountability for or acknowledge any of his criminal conduct, the Government recommends the Court impose a guideline term of imprisonment of 240 months," court papers read, per The Sun.
Although it's previously been argued that Duggar's actions could be interpreted as victimless because it involved downloaded material, one of the children's mothers shared a statement on how their family's lives have been affected by the reality star's crimes.
The mother claimed her daughter became an "anxious and fretful shadow of her former self" after she was abused and exploited the way that she was, it was reported. "I can find no words to express the fury I feel at those who participate in this evil," she wrote to the court. "Or my scorn for any attempt to minimize the responsibility by feeble claims that the crime was victimless."
"My daughter is a real person," she reportedly continued. "She was horribly victimized to provide this source of 'entertainment.' She is exploited anew each and every time an image of her suffering is copied, traded or sold. While the crime is clearly conscienceless, it is hardly 'victim-less.'"
According to the documents, Duggar's victim also had words for the disgraced reality television personality: "Don’t you know no one should do that to a little girl! Don’t you know it hurts!"
The heartbroken mother then asked the court to consider the full impact of "the damage done by this heartless crime to my daughters and others like her" and sentence Duggar accordingly, per the outlet.
OK! previously reported law enforcement called the multiple photos and videos of CSAM found in Duggar's possession "among the worst of the worst."
The father-of-seven is awaiting his Wednesday, May 25, sentencing hearing at Washington County Jail in Arkansas. He faces up to 40 years behind bars.
