Josh Duggar will be released pending trial: Everything we know about his child pornography charges

Josh Duggar's lawyers succeeded in persuading a federal judge to release him from jail as he awaits trial on charges that he downloaded and possessed child pornography.

But he still can't go home to his wife and kids: He will be released May 6 and confined to the home of longtime friends of his parents who have agreed to be his custodian during his release.

He can see his children but only in the presence of his wife, Anna Duggar. But he can't have any contact with any other minor children, including his younger siblings, his siblings' children and the children of friends. 

Following a three-hour virtual detention hearing Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Christy Comstock also barred Duggar, 33, from any internet-accessible devices or viewing any kind of pornography or erotica, pending his July trial on the child pornography charges. 

Duggar, who was arrested on the charges last week, appeared virtually in court Friday and pleaded not guilty to two counts of downloading and possessing images and videos depicting sexual abuse of minor children, some as young as toddlers. 

On Monday, Duggar's attorneys said in a joint statement that they "intend to defend this case aggressively and thoroughly."

"In this country, no one can stop prosecutors from charging a crime. But when you’re accused, you can fight back in the courtroom – and that is exactly what Josh intends to do," read the statement from attorneys Justin Gelfand, Travis Story and Greg Payne.

Here's everything we know.

Previously:Josh Duggar's family reacts to '19 Kids and Counting' star's arrest on child porn charges 

Why was Josh Duggar arrested?

Duggar was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service, according to online government records, and booked into jail Thursday in Washington County, Arkansas.

A federal grand jury in the Western District of Arkansas indicted Duggar, alleging that in 2019 he "knowingly" received images of children under the age of 12. The former TLC star has been charged on two counts pertaining to child pornography.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Duggar could face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 on each count.

"Duggar allegedly possessed this material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children," the release said. 

The case is being prosecuted in part by national initiative Project Safe Childhood, a program started in 2006 by the Department of Justice to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse. 

Does Josh Duggar have kids?

Duggar's arrest came less than a week after his wife Anna announced on Instagram that she is pregnant with their seventh child, a baby girl.

In a video posted to Instagram on April 23, the couple stand in a field with their six children running in the background. Duggar opens an umbrella over himself and his wife, dropping pink confetti over them.

"It’s a GIRL!!!!!," Anna wrote in the caption. "We are overjoyed to announce baby seven is on the way and we can’t wait to hold her in our arms this fall!"

The couple have been married 13 years and share kids Mackynzie, 11; Michael, 9; Marcus, 7; Meredith, 5; Mason, 3; and 17-month-old Maryella.

Who is the Duggar family?

The Duggar family rose to fame with their TLC show "19 Kids and Counting," which chronicled the personal life of Arkansas parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Josh is their eldest son.

TLC canceled "19 Kids and Counting" in 2015 following a sexual abuse scandal involving Josh, who later admitted to a porn addiction and cheating on his wife. The series' spinoff "Counting On" features storylines focusing on his sisters and their young families.

Duggar was never charged after an anonymous tip spurred an investigation into his alleged fondling of five girls in 2002 and 2003. He acknowledged wrongdoing in a statement after news reports were published in 2015. His parents and two of his sisters, Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald, later confirmed the actions.

Dillard and Seewald came forward and said they were among the five girls he abused in the second part of an exclusive interview with Megyn Kelly on Fox's "The Kelly File" in 2015.

Dillard, who was 12 at the time, said, "I was shocked. And I'm sad because this is my older brother who I love a lot. I was angry at first. I was like, 'How could that happen?' "

Seewald said she was 9 or 10 at the time of the abuse. "In Josh's case, he was a young boy in puberty and a little too curious about girls. And that got him into some trouble," she said.

More:Jill Duggar of 'Counting On' reveals she's 'not on the best terms' with some of her family

More:'19 Kids and Counting' star John David Duggar, wife Abbie Burnett expecting their first child

Duggar's parents released a joint statement on their family website Friday following the news of their eldest son's indictment. 

"The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious. It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner," they wrote. "We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family."  

"We just heard about it yesterday. It is sad," Duggar's sister Jill said about his arrest in a statement to USA TODAY.

On Saturday, Duggar’s sister Jessa Seewald and her husband, Ben, posted identical statements about the arrest to their Instagram Stories.

"We are saddened to hear of the charges against Josh," the statement read. "As Christians, we stand against any form of pornography or abuse and we desire for the truth to be exposed, whatever that may be. Our prayers are with their family as they walk through this difficult time."

On the same day, Jinger Vuolo, another of Duggar's sisters, issued a statement on Instagram, writing that her family is "disturbed to hear of the charges against Josh."

"While this case must go through the legal system, we want to make it clear that we absolutely condemn any form of child abuse and fully support the authorities and the judicial process in their pursuit of justice," she wrote. 

Contributing: Charles Trepany