Convicted sex offender Josh Duggar has issued a response following the arrest of his brother, Joseph Duggar, in connection with a criminal case stemming from a 2020 incident in Florida, as reported by Page Six.

Joseph Duggar, 31, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with Lewd and Lascivious Behavior involving unlawful activity with a minor.

Authorities said the case is tied to events that allegedly took place during a family vacation in Destin, Florida, in 2020.

Florida is gonna be rough for this Duggar.

He will serve longer than his brother Josh.

I think more will follow…. pic.twitter.com/YNQyA1Wsgs

— GT SD Jack’s 🐰🐰 (@realredsd) March 19, 2026

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The case came to light after a now-14-year-old reported the allegations to a detective with the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas.

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Law enforcement agencies in Arkansas and Florida coordinated on the investigation, which ultimately led to Joseph Duggar’s arrest.

According to officials, the girl’s father confronted Duggar about the allegations on March 17, 2026. Authorities reported that Duggar admitted to both the father and detectives that the accusations were true.

Joseph Duggar is currently being held in Washington County, Arkansas, and is awaiting extradition to Bay County, Florida, where the charges were filed.

Josh Duggar, who is serving a 12-year federal prison sentence for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material, responded to the situation through his attorney.

In a statement provided to the Daily Mail, Josh Duggar pushed back on the allegations against his brother.

“He lives with the painful reality of how false accusations can destroy a life. He understands how the targeting of a person for publicity can twist the truth into sensationalized fiction,” Josh Duggar’s lawyer said.

The statement also said that Josh Duggar was “deeply saddened” by the situation involving his brother.

Josh Duggar blasts ‘false accusations’ from prison after brother Joseph arrested for alleged sexual abuse of nine-year-old girl https://t.co/ArgXfkWMf7

— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) March 20, 2026

The two brothers have reportedly not been in regular contact since Josh Duggar’s conviction in 2021. He is currently serving his sentence at FCI Seagoville in Dallas, Texas, and is scheduled for release on Dec. 23, 2032.

Josh Duggar has also been pursuing an appeal of his conviction. According to court documents obtained by Page Six, he retained a Chicago-based attorney after a request for a new legal team was denied.

Prior to his conviction, Josh Duggar had faced earlier allegations in the early 2000s involving multiple individuals, including members of his own family.

An investigation was opened in 2006, but no charges were filed at that time, and the statute of limitations has since expired.

Joseph Duggar had previously spoken publicly about his brother during a December 2015 episode of “Jill & Jessa: Counting On,” reflecting on the situation at the time.

“Whenever somebody you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you’d never think that that’s the person who’s involved in it,” Joseph said.

Authorities have not released additional details as Joseph Duggar remains in custody pending extradition proceedings.