Thomas Markle Arrested on Federal Abuse Material Charge

Thomas Markle, 82, the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was arrested in Florida and charged in a federal criminal complaint with possessing child sexual abuse material. Authorities allege he kept sexually explicit images involving prepubescent girls in two Los Angeles-area storage units rented for nearly two decades; agents seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books. The case is pending, and Markle, who has denied earlier allegations, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The arrest followed investigations in the Philippines and Mexico, where authorities reported finding suspected abuse material among devices and belongings linked to him; the FBI has cooperated with Philippine authorities. Philippine officials have also described Markle’s son, Thomas Markle Jr., as a person of interest—not a suspect—after witnesses alleged underage girls were brought to his home, claims that remain under investigation.