FAYETTEVILLE -- Prosecutors in Josh Duggar's child pornography case told a federal judge Thursday morning they have witnesses who will testify Duggar sexually assaulted a girl in 2003.
Duggar, 33, of Springdale, is charged in federal court with two counts involving receiving and possessing child pornography. A pretrial hearing in the case was held Thursday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks set a Nov. 29 hearing to decide whether to allow the testimony at Duggar's trial, scheduled to begin Nov. 30.
Prosecutors told the judge Duggar confessed the assault to his father, former state Rep. Jim Bob Duggar, and a family friend, Bobye Holt, wife of former state Sen. Jim Holt of Springdale.
Josh Duggar, best known for being part of his family's cable television reality show, is accused of using the internet in May 2019 to download and possess the material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children younger than 12, according to court documents. Duggar was indicted in April 2021.
He faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 on each count if convicted.
Federal authorities in November 2019 served a search warrant at the address of a used car dealership, Wholesale Motorcars, run by Duggar. Duggar's cellphone was seized as part of the search.
The dealership's computer and multiple electronic devices belonging to Duggar were seized. Based on forensic evidence found on those devices, among other evidence, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Duggar with receipt and possession of child pornography.