Thomas Markle jailed for removing ankle monitor days after child abuse charges
A federal judge in Florida ordered the Duke of Sussex's father into custody after he cut off his electronic monitoring device at 1:45 a.m.
By Nikolai Patterson ·
Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was sent to prison on Tuesday after removing his electronic ankle monitor. The court action came just days after federal authorities accused him of possessing child sexual abuse material.
Federal authorities discovered the device was cut at 1:45 a.m. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that Markle was arrested and brought before a federal court in Tampa, Florida. Essayli emphasized the seriousness of the violation by saying, "The conditions of release are court orders, not suggestions."
The initial arrest occurred on Friday in Lakeland, Florida. It followed the seizure of approximately 78 items from two storage units in the Los Angeles area. Among the recovered evidence were slides, film negatives, and books containing suspected images of child sexual abuse material.
Markle was living in a senior care center at the time of the seizure. Judge Lindsay Griffin ruled on Tuesday that he must remain in custody. Authorities have not yet determined where he will be held while his case proceeds, though a transfer to California is expected.
Defense attorney Mary Claire Wolf argued against incarceration but had not secured suitable housing for Markle. Griffin noted in a written order that Markle's housing situation had become unsustainable. A mental competency exam for Markle remains pending in the case.
Markle suffered a stroke earlier this year while living in the Philippines, which required the amputation of his left leg and forced his return to the United States. The discovery of the storage unit contents began when Meghan's half-brother found the collection while clearing out Markle's home in the Philippines. That lead allowed investigators to locate the two California units Markle had rented since 2008.
Markle's daughter, Meghan, married Prince Harry at Windsor Castle in 2018. They have two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Meghan recently said she was deeply troubled by the accusations. She stated that a 2019 letter sent to London police contained concerning allegations about her father. "I hope it is now understood that, despite the distortion certain media have made over the years, my distancing myself from my father and my decision not to allow him contact with our children was for one reason: to protect them," she said.
