Federal Prosecution: Thomas Markle removed ankle monitor in Tampa
The 82-year-old father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was arrested after cutting off an electronic tether while awaiting a hearing on charges related to child sexual abuse material.
By Khalid Khalil ·
Thomas Markle, 82, cut off an electronic ankle monitor at 1:45 a.m. on Tuesday, federal authorities said. He was taken into custody shortly after the removal and is currently held in a federal facility in Tampa, Florida, while awaiting a court hearing. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed the details of the incident and the subsequent arrest.
The detention follows a Friday arrest based on the seizure of roughly 78 items containing suspected child sexual abuse images. Investigators found slides, film negatives, and books with such images in storage units located in the Los Angeles area. Markle had rented those California storage units since 2008.
Markle was initially taken from a senior care center in Lakeland, Florida, by ambulance. A judge granted him release on the condition of electronic monitoring, which typically requires wearing an ankle tether. The judge also ordered a mental competency examination and required a report to be filed by November 20.
The legal action comes amid public statements from his daughter, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. She described herself as deeply distressed by the allegations concerning the collection of images found at her father's former home. She noted that a letter containing troubling allegations about Markle was sent to police in London in 2019 and that she received assurances the matter was being investigated.
Markle lived in the Philippines earlier this year but returned to the United States after suffering a stroke and having his left leg amputated. The discovery of the images in the Philippines prompted a search of his U.S. storage facilities. Reports from the British tabloid The Sun indicated that Meghan’s half brother found the collection while clearing out the residence in the Philippines.
Meghan, an American citizen and actress known for her role in the television drama Suits, married Prince Harry in 2018. The couple has two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. She stated that her decision to limit contact between Markle and their children was made to protect them, a stance she said has sometimes been distorted by media coverage.
