Meghan's dad bailed following court appearance
He has been charged with possessing child sexual abuse material.
Thomas Markle Sr, the father of the Duchess of Sussex, has been released on bail with home detention and electronic tagging following his court appearance in the US.
He is accused of possessing child sex abuse material, including images depicting himself with naked young girls.
Markle Sr did not enter a plea during the hearing in Florida’s Tampa court, where travel restrictions and a psychiatric exam were ordered by the judge.
Concerns were raised about his ability to understand proceedings and assist his lawyer.
Arrested on Friday
According to the US Justice Department, a court appearance in California is not expected for several weeks.
Markle was arrested on Friday after FBI agents seized material from two Los Angeles storage units.
He faces one charge of possession of child pornography.
His son, Thomas Markle Jr, reported him to the police and FBI last month, allegedly discovering illegal images in his father’s belongings in Cebu City, Philippines.
Search of storage units
The agents searched units rented by Markle Sr since 2008.
Inside, they found 78 items, including slides, film negatives, and books believed to contain child sex abuse material.
Two images allegedly depict Markle with a nude young girl, identified by a witness.
A third image shows a young girl in a Philippines motel room. If convicted, Markle could face at least 20 years in federal prison.
'extremely serious'
First assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli stated that the allegations are extremely serious and assured prosecution to the fullest extent of federal law.
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the agency's commitment to bringing predators to justice.
Markle Sr, previously living in a dementia care home in the US, has admitted to paying for sex in the Philippines but denied possessing child abuse imagery.
Meghan in 'deep distress'
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, expressed “deep distress” over the allegations involving her estranged father, whom she had not seen since before her 2018 wedding.
She received troubling allegations via Metropolitan Police in 2019, but the details were never shared with other law enforcement agencies.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the Metropolitan Police's handling of the case.
In a final letter, Meghan reportedly told her father she was aware of his actions and he would not see his grandchildren.