Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Britain's Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, was arrested on Friday in Florida on a charge of possessing child sexual abuse material. According to FBI director Kash Patel, Markle was taken into custody by federal agents after a search of rented storage units in California uncovered evidence of the crime. The 82-year-old, who uses a wheelchair and is a resident of Lakeland, Florida, was a nursing home patient at the time of his arrest.
The charge against Markle is one count of "possession of child pornography," which could result in up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted. Markle made his initial court appearance before a US magistrate judge in Tampa, where he was ordered to be released on condition of home detention and electronic monitoring. An arraignment is not expected for several weeks, and it is unclear when Markle might be transferred to California to face the charge against him.
According to an FBI affidavit filed as part of the criminal complaint, Markle kept the sexually explicit material in two Los Angeles-area storage units he rented since 2008. Agents searched the units last week after obtaining a warrant and seized about 78 items, including slides, 35mm film negatives, and books containing child sexual abuse images. The affidavit stated that at least two of the frames on film negatives showed a man identified by a witness as Markle with a "nude pre-pubescent girl" in poses "designed to elicit a sexual response in the viewer".
The FBI began its investigation of Markle in October after hearing from a witness who said they had discovered suspected child abuse material among Markle's possessions in the Philippines. Authorities in the Philippines began investigating Markle last month over allegations he possessed child sexual abuse images. British police also referred allegations about him to overseas law enforcement agencies after finding that claims had not been passed to other authorities when they were first received.
Markle denied the accusations of possessing child sexual abuse material when they initially came to light, telling the Daily Mail they were untrue and "sick lies". Meghan Markle, an American actor who married King Charles' younger son in 2018, has said she was "deeply distressed" over the allegations. Buckingham Palace and a spokesperson for Meghan Markle did not respond to requests for comment.
The FBI affidavit also stated that at least one of the photographs reviewed by the FBI shows Markle was staying at a hotel or motel in the Philippines, based on the logo seen on the pillows on the bed. The 13-page document provided further evidence of Markle's alleged crimes, including descriptions of the items seized from the storage units.
Markle's defence counsel was not immediately known, and it is unclear how he will plead to the charge against him. The case is ongoing, and further developments are expected in the coming weeks.
Key points
- Thomas Markle, 82, charged with possession of child sexual abuse material
- Markle faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted
- Investigation began after witness reported suspected child abuse material among Markle's possessions
Reporting sources
- The Sowetan · The Sowetan
