Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar drop $160K to expand compound by 29 acres after son Josh arrested on child porn charges
JIM Bob and Michelle Duggar have dropped $160,000 to expand their Arkansas compound by 29 acres after their son Josh was arrested on child porn charges.
The Arkansas Warranty Deed exclusively obtained by The Sun reveals Jim Bob and Michelle purchased 29 acres of land for $160,000 on May 18, 2021.
The land is directly next to their compound, which has been featured on the family’s reality show Counting On.
Jim Bob and Michelle’s compound was 77 acres of land before the sale went through.
The sale is the latest addition to Jim Bob’s real estate empire worth $4.4m.
Jim Bob, 55, and Michelle, 53, first purchased 20 acres of land in March 2000 for $300,000.
They purchased additional parcels of land in September 2014 for $400,000.
All together, Jim Bob and Michelle own 13 plots of land, four homes and three commercial buildings
The Counting On star works as a real estate agent in addition to appearing on reality TV.
Jim Bob and Michelle put their properties to good use, as they sold a home they flipped in February for a whopping $1,380,000.
The couple initially bought it for $230,000 in 2014.
Jim Bob has gifted his children one of his many homes.
Jim Bob and Michelle bought a home for $30,000 in December 2010 that they later gave to Joy-Anna and her husband Austin Forsyth in 2019.
The latest sale comes weeks after their oldest son Josh, 33, was arrested and charged with receiving and possessing child pornography in April.
The former 19 Kids and Counting star is currently on home confinement until his July trial and is living with third party custodians LaCount and Maria Reber, who are longtime friends of Jim Bob and Michelle.
Josh is residing in a massive mansion in Elkins, Arkansas with the Reber family.
According to Arkansas property records obtained by The Sun, LaCount, 49, and Maria, 53, bought nine acres of land in 2005 for $68,000.
In 2007, the couple built a one-story house on one-acre of the property.
The abode features four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The exterior of the home has brick and slab, and the interior has tile and carpeting throughout.
The house also boasts a fireplace and porch.
There is a long gravel driveway that leads from the main road to the home.
The home is an upgrade from his previous living conditions, as he resided on the Duggar family compound in a renovated warehouse with his pregnant wife, Anna, and their six children.
A source previously told The Sun Jim Bob is planning to pay for a fence to be built at the Reber’s property, as everyone is concerned for their safety ahead of the trial.
The insider said: “Jim Bob is doing everything he can for Josh, and he’s worried about the attention on him and the family.
“He’s concerned about photographers in town covering the case, and anyone who might want to hurt Josh because of the crimes he’s accused of.
“Those who have rebelled against the family think it’s disgusting he’s pulling out all the stops for him years after he was forgiven for molesting his own sisters.
“Jim Bob has offered to pay for a new fence to be built at the Rebers to also keep them safe, along with Josh’s wife, Anna, and the kids when they go and visit.”
Jim Bob has reason to worry, as The Sun reported a 911 call was made from the Reber’s Elkins, Arkansas home on May 7, just one day after Josh was released from jail.
According to an Arkansas Sheriff’s Office, the call was made at 10:31 to report a “trespassing in progress” at the Reber’s home.
The caller, who wished to remain anonymous, said the family “no longer feels safe” after seeing a car parked at the end of the driveway.
The family told the driver of the vehicle to leave earlier in the week, but the driver returned.
The report lists Josh as staying at the residence.
According to conditions of release obtained by The Sun, Josh is restricted to the residence of LaCount and Maria at all times except for employment, education, religious services, medical or mental health treatment, attorney visits, court-ordered obligations, court hearings or other activities approved by a parole officer.
Travel is restricted to Western District of Arkansas, Fayetteville Division unless given approval from the U.S. Probation Office. That includes Benton, Washington and Madison counties.
The Arkansas judge ordered Josh to wear a GPS ankle monitor.
Other terms include maintaining employment, no possession of firearms, no excessive alcohol use, no possession of pornography and more.
The Sun previously broke Josh was arrested for the federal charges in Washington County.
The arrest is related to the 2019 Homeland Security raid on Josh’s now-closed used car dealership in Springdale, Arkansas.
According to the indictment, Josh “knowingly received child pornography” between or about May 14, 2019 and on or about May 16, 2019.
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For the second count, Josh “knowingly possessed material that contained images of child pornography,” including “images of minors under the age of 12.”
If convicted, he could receive 20 years in prison with fines up to $250,000 for each count.
Josh pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment.