Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan Markle, duchess of Sussex, has been arrested in Florida and charged with possessing child sexual abuse material following an investigation involving federal authorities.
The 82-year-old was taken into custody on Nov. 6 after investigators discovered suspected illegal material in two storage units in the Los Angeles area, according to the Department of Justice.
“Mr. Markle is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material, including photographs depicting himself with minor girls,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli in a statement. “These allegations are extremely serious, and we will prosecute Mr. Markle to the fullest extent of federal law.”
Thomas Markle faces one federal count of possessing child pornography, an offense carrying a potential maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars if found guilty.
Federal prosecutors say approximately 78 items were recovered during searches of the storage facilities, which Thomas Markle had rented for almost two decades. The seized material included slides, photographic negatives and books believed to contain illegal images.
According to an affidavit accompanying the criminal complaint, some of the material depicted Thomas Markle alongside underage girls.
“Mr. Markle allegedly targeted innocent children and sought to steal their innocence through his criminal actions,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Working with our Justice Department partners, our agents moved quickly, identified and located the explicit material, and arrested Mr. Markle in Florida.”
Authorities say the investigation gained momentum in October after information emerged concerning suspected child sexual abuse material among Thomas Markle’s belongings at his former residence in the Philippines.
Information subsequently provided to investigators helped them identify the two storage units in California, prompting searches authorized by the courts.
“This case highlights the importance of the involvement of the public, even if it’s a family member or close friend, to be vigilant and speak up if they have information on individuals they suspect may be preying on and exploiting our children,” added Patrick Grandy, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
An attorney representing Markle has not been publicly identified. The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment and additional information regarding the case.
Meghan Markle, who has been estranged from her father for several years, recently addressed the allegations publicly, saying that she was deeply distressed by the claims. She also expressed concern for any children who may have been harmed.
She indicated the allegations against her father had been brought to the attention of British authorities as far back as 2018.
“In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection,” she said in a statement at the time. “That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.”
“I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them,” she said.
Their relationship had been strained leading up to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. He notably did not attend the royal wedding, and the pair have remained largely estranged ever since.
