Meghan Markle's father is ordered to be jailed in a child sexual abuse case
Thomas Markle, 82, was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material. A federal court ordered him to remain in custody after he allegedly removed the electronic ankle monitor he was required to wear while awaiting trial.
A federal judge ordered on Tuesday the incarceration of Thomas Markle, father of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, after he allegedly violated the conditions of his release on bail in a case involving possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to the Associated Press, Markle, 82, was re-arrested after authorities discovered that he had removed the electronic monitoring device he was required to wear as a condition of his release from prison.
Federal prosecutor Bill Essayli explained on his X account that the defendant allegedly cut off the ankle monitor around 1:45 a.m. Subsequently, Judge Lindsay Saxe Griffin ordered that he remain in custody while the legal proceedings continue.
"The conditions of release are court orders, not suggestions," warned Essayli, who requested that the benefit granted to the defendant be revoked.
The investigation against Thomas Markle
The father of Prince Harry's wife had been arrested last Friday, Nov. 6, in Florida, after FBI agents found alleged child sexual abuse material in two storage units rented in his name in the Los Angeles area.
According to federal authorities, investigators seized approximately 78 items, including photographs, negatives and books, containing alleged images of child abuse. The storage units had been rented since 2008.
Markle faces a federal charge of possession of child pornography, a crime that could result in up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted. The defendant has denied the charges, according to UPI.
The court also ordered an evaluation of his mental capacity to determine whether he is capable of understanding the legal process and participating in his own defense.
Meghan Markle distances herself from the allegations
The Duchess of Sussex, who has had a strained relationship with her father for several years, recently expressed her deep dismay at the allegations.
Meghan also stated that in 2019 she had received a letter containing troubling allegations about her father, which, she claimed, was forwarded to British authorities.
The case remains under federal investigation, and, so far, Thomas Markle has not been found guilty of the crimes with which he is charged.
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