Josh Duggar's child porn charges are 'absolutely not a shock,' sources say: 'People like him don't change'
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Josh Duggar is facing prison time after being indicted on federal child pornography charges last week -- but sources in Arkansas who are familiar with the disgraced "19 Kids and Counting" star tell Fox News his alleged crimes aren't shocking at all.
"They're absolutely not a shock to me and honestly it makes me angry because if the parents had done something about this before, who knows how many children would have been saved," a former neighbor of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's, who wished to remain anonymous, told Fox News.
Josh, 33, was granted release by a federal judge on Wednesday as he awaits a July trial on charges that he downloaded and possessed child pornography. He previously apologized for a pornography addiction and cheating on his wife after a bombshell report in 2015 revealed he molested four of his sisters and a babysitter. Duggar's parents said he had confessed to the fondling and apologized.
The former neighbor added that residents of Washington County have been weighing in on Duggar's purported crimes since his April 29 arrest.
JOSH DUGGAR RELEASED FROM JAIL AS HE AWAITS CHILD PORN TRIAL
Josh Duggar is the former Executive Director of the Family Research Council Action. (Reuters)
"Everyone I've talked to feels disgusted by this but yet they aren't surprised," the ex-neighbor continued.
Another source familiar with the Duggar family and lives in Arkansas agreed.
"As a mass majority of residents here, he disgusts me," the Washington County resident said.
However, the second source admitted their "honest" reaction was "not shocked."
"You can't be surprised when a skunk actually makes you smell bad," the source added.
Josh Dugger, former star of '19 Kids and Counting,' has been arrested in Arkansas. (Washington County Police Department)
As for if and how much time Duggar should spend behind bars, the sources agreed they'd like to see him spend decades behind bars.
"It's ridiculous he got released from jail. He is definitely a danger and he should not have been released," the first source said. "Child molesters, I feel, deserve capital punishment. I think he should go to jail for the rest of his life. He's sick. People like him don't change."
"It always feels good to get an alleged child molester off the street and the longer the better," said the second insider, adding that if Duggar is convicted on more than one count, they hope his sentences will not be concurrent.
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"If there are multiple charges, I think the only comfort that could be for each individual victim if there are more than one is to have each 20-year sentence not run concurrent. Get truth and justice for each victim," said the source. "He should be considered a habitual offender and get enhanced sentencing."
Josh Duggar's parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, called the accusations against their son 'very serious' in a statement following his arrest. (Discovery Communications)
Another source tells Fox News that Duggar's alleged crimes -- even dating to his past 2015 molestation scandal -- have given Washington County, Arkansas a bad reputation.
"If you meet somebody and are like, 'Hey! I'm from Northwest Arkansas,' more times than once [he's] mentioned. If the correlation is made, I feel slightly embarrassed, like great, that's what we're known for," the source said.
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Following his release from jail, Duggar, 33, will be placed with third-party custodian Maria and Lacount Reber – a family to Duggar and his wife, Anna. The Rebers say they have a self-contained space on their property where Duggar can live while he awaits his looming trial.
An attorney for Duggar did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
