The key facts
- Thomas Markle Sr. was released on his own recognizance by decision of the federal court in Tampa
- The charge is one count: possession of materials depicting child sexual abuse; he has not stated his position
- According to the investigation, the materials were kept for nearly 20 years in two storage facilities in the Los Angeles area
Release on a recognizance bond
82-year-old Thomas Markle Sr., the father of Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, has been released after his arrest in Florida in a child pornography possession case. The federal court in Tampa released him on his own recognizance, the US Department of Justice reported, as reported by Life.ru.
The arrest and the charge
Markle was arrested on November 6 at the retirement home where he lived. At a court hearing he was charged on one count — possession of materials depicting child sexual abuse. He did not state his position on the charge. After his release, the man returned to the same senior care facility. By court order, he is required to appear at further hearings and to surrender his passport. The case is to proceed in California; the date of the next hearing has not yet been set.
The investigation's version
According to the investigation, Markle kept explicit images involving underage girls for nearly 20 years in two rented storage facilities in the Los Angeles area. The searches were carried out after a witness told law enforcement about the possible presence of such materials at the defendant's home in the Philippines.
Seized items and confirmation of the arrest
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmedthat Thomas Markle Sr. had been detained in the United States. During the searches, according to Life.ru, bureau agents seized about 78 items, including photographic film, negatives and books allegedly containing prohibited materials. The investigation claims that Markle himself appears alongside underage girls in some of the discovered images. These claims come from the investigation and are cited by the outlet; there has been no judicial assessment yet — the defendant has not stated his position, and no date for the next hearing has been set.
