Amy (Duggar) King is speaking out after her cousin Josh Duggar’s sentencing on Wednesday.
The former 19 Kids and Counting star, 34, was ordered to serve to 151 months (more than 12 and a half years) in federal prison on Wednesday, as well an additional 20 years of supervision by a parole officer once he is released.
“Twelve and a half years isn’t enough, but I hope that every single second he’s there feels like an eternity,” Amy told Celebuzz! in a statement.
She later opened up about the sentencing in a video on Instagram. “I can breathe,” she said in the clip. “He got 12, almost 13 years [in prison].”
“I knew him getting the maximum sentence wasn’t going to be the easiest to prove since it’s his first offense in the judge’s eyes — which I hate — but at the same time, he cannot have his computer, he cannot hurt, exploit any more children and when he sees his kids, he has to be supervised,” she said. “And honestly, where he’s going, I feel like the prisoners are just gonna take care of him.”
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeAJNvBvpav/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Continuing, Amy noted that “this has been hurtful and stressful,” but she doesn’t believe “the case is over.”
“I think this is far from over. Josh’s sickness stems from somewhere, and eventually we will hear about the trauma. I don’t know when, or how, or who but eventually I think more will come out. But hopefully tonight, I can sleep for the first time ever and rest assured that another monster will be put behind bars makes my heart feel a little lighter.”
Before the sentencing, Amy also shared the letter she would have sent to U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks, who has presided over the trial and sentencing, with PEOPLE (she first shared the letter exclusively with The Sun).
Josh was given his sentence by U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks of the Western District of Arkansas Federal Court in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Wednesday’s order to report to federal prison came more than a year after Josh was arrested by Homeland Security in April 2021. Josh’s arrest happened shortly after his wife, Anna, announced she was expecting their seventh child, which she delivered in November.
That December, Josh was then found guilty of two charges of knowingly receiving and possessing child pornography.
On Wednesday, with the agreement of both the defense and prosecution, the court vacated the conviction on count 2 without prejudice. Judge Brooks noted that possession is a lesser included offense of the receipt of child pornography.
Judge Brooks further ruled that Josh did not knowingly distribute pornography and sustained the defense’s objection to that potential enhancement to Duggar’s sentence.
As a result of Wednesday’s vacation, Josh was facing up to 20 years of imprisonment and up to $250,000 in fines total (he previously faced that potential maximum sentence for each conviction).
Amy has frequently spoken out against him throughout the trial period. After he was found guilty, she stood by the jury’s decision.
“May the juror’s [sic] and Judge Brooks seek healing/counseling from all that was exposed to them,” she tweeted at the time. “May the children grow up with real Godly men as father figures who will guide and protect them. May the people who were once in disbelief have their eyes opened for the first time.”
Amy also spoke out against Anna and Josh’s mother, Michelle Duggar. Recently, Josh’s wife and mom penned letters to a judge to help him secure a lighter sentencing — but Amy told PEOPLE she’s “furious” at her family as they “refuse to hold [Josh] accountable.”
“I take a lot of intentional effort to protect my mind and heart and still, this has me crumpled,” she said. “But you know what? We’re not supposed to be ok in light of any of this. And I’m giving myself the grace to feel all the anger and sadness and disappointment running through me.”
Amy added, “I am grateful for the support of my husband and my mom’s gentle reminders that this isn’t ours to carry alone. I am humbled by the love you guys are showing us. Thank you for being here with me, through it all.”
Amy recently went as far as to write an open letter to Anna, telling her there’s “no shame” in divorcing Josh.
“Someday your kids will be old enough to understand what kind of guy their father really is,” she continued. “You can’t protect them from the truth for forever! I’m saying all of this publicly so that when they do grow up, they will also know that they had family members shouting from the rooftops that they were worth protecting all along.”
Amy then asked for Anna to “be the role model” that her seven children “need.”
“Josh has chosen how history will remember him,” she added. “By staying and supporting him you’re allowing him to choose that for you, too.”
[via]
