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Sometimes, the wheels of justice turn rather slowly.
And to the frustration of many, that’s certainly been the case for Josh Duggar.
The car dealership owned by Josh was raided by federal agents way back in November of 2019.
The raid uncovered considerable evidence that the 34-year-old had been downloading and viewing child pornography in his office, but it wasn’t until April of 2021 that Josh was arrested.
Critics were outraged when Josh was released on bail, and it was months before his trial began.
Finally, in December of 2021 — more than two years after the initial raid — Josh was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography.
But still, his victims can’t breathe easy with the knowledge that justice has been served.
For starters, Josh is appealing his conviction.
His attorneys say his trial was unconstitutional and he was the victim of bias from both judge and jury.
In the meantime, the same legal team is preparing for Josh’s sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for April 5.
This is another source of anxiety for Josh’s loved ones and their victims.
It’s possible that the former reality star will be sent to prison for twenty years, which is the maximum possible sentence for his crimes.
But he might also receive a much lighter sentence.
Much will depend on the statements from Josh’s victims, as well as letters on his behalf by his family and friends.
Critics are concerned that the judge might go easy on Josh because of the fact that he has seven children to support.
But in an interview with The Sun, Beverly Hills attorney Adam Michael Sacks says that’s unlikely to happen.
“The judge doesn’t have a lot of discretion because of the formula used for sentencing,” Sacks tells the outlet.
“If the judge feels like he’s worth saving, he’ll go towards the lower end of the range,” the attorney continues.
“If Josh has a bad attitude in court or if he is influenced by victim statements, he’ll aim for the higher range.”
Sacks says Josh’s celebrity status might actually work against him in this case, as the judge will not want to create the impression that he’s being unfairly lenient.
“For Josh, I believe he will get a higher sentence,” Sacks tells The Sun.
“Courts don’t want to deal with being accused of giving special treatment and just giving a slap on the wrist,” he adds.
“The judge might say, ‘People looked up to you. You were on television. You should’ve been a better example for the people who watched you.”
Yes, it’s hard to recall these days, but there was a time when millions of fans viewed the Duggars as the height of wholesomeness.
Needless to say, that’s no longer the case.
The family still has their defenders, but fans have abandoned Jim Bob and company in droves in recent years, as Josh’s downfall brought about the end of the Duggar media empire.
We’ll have to wait several weeks to find out if Josh will be locked up for the next two decades.
But whatever happens, those who have been victimized by this family can be sure that the Duggars’ days as one of TV’s favorite families are long finished.
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