The 82-year-old was in federal custody in Tampa, Florida, awaiting a hearing after his arrest last week, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said, Global News reported.
The incident occurred shortly after Markle was taken from a senior care center in Lakeland by ambulance, Global News reported.
The arrest follows the seizure of approximately 78 items, including books, film negatives, and slides, that contained suspected child sexual abuse images, according to Bill Essayli, Global News reported.
These items were discovered in storage units in the Los Angeles area that Markle had rented since 2008, Global News reported.
The investigation gained momentum after reports from the British tabloid The Sun indicated that Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., found a collection of child sexual abuse images while clearing out their father’s residence in the Philippines, Global News reported.
Jonvic Remulla, the Philippines’ interior and local government secretary, told a press conference in Manila that more than 7,000 photos and one video were uncovered, Global News reported.
Remulla described the images, which depicted underage males and females of European, Asian, and Latin descent, as “the most deplorable displays of impunity towards sexual activity that I have ever seen,” Global News reported.
Thomas Markle Jr. has been named a “person of interest” in the inquiry conducted by Philippine authorities, The Guardian reported.
Remulla stated there are “signs that point that the son is involved in the crime as well,” though he noted that Markle Jr. is not currently being treated as a suspect, The Guardian reported.
Markle Jr., 60, alerted local police and the FBI to the images he found, The Guardian reported.
According to The Guardian, Markle Jr. was recently interviewed via Microsoft Teams as part of an international, multi-agency meeting.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, previously expressed that she was “deeply distressed” by allegations regarding the collection of images found at her father’s former home, Global News reported.
She revealed that a letter containing “troubling allegations” about him had been sent to London police in 2019, Global News reported.
The Duchess stated her decision to prevent her father from having contact with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, was made for the sole purpose of protecting them, Global News reported.
The Guardian reported that Meghan had been informed of these disturbing allegations as early as 2018.
A judge previously allowed Markle to be released on the condition of electronic monitoring, Global News reported.
The court has also ordered a mental competency exam and a report to be submitted by Nov. 20, Global News reported.
Markle Sr. has denied possessing the illegal imagery and suggested he had been “set up,” Global News reported.
He had recently returned to the United States from the Philippines following a stroke that resulted in the amputation of his left leg, Global News reported.
The investigation continues into whether Markle was in possession of illegal images while residing in Mexico and the Philippines, The Guardian reported.
Disclaimer: The cultural analyses and financial data presented in this article are based on available public records and industry metrics at the time of publication.
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