Thomas Markle Sr., the 82-year-old estranged father of Meghan Markle, was arrested Friday in Florida on one federal count of possession of child pornography, according to a criminal complaint. FBI agents searching two Los Angeles storage units he’d rented since 2008 seized roughly 78 items, including suspected child sexual abuse material, and the complaint alleges Thomas appears in two images alongside an underage girl. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted and is presumed innocent.
The investigation included searches on October 30 and November 4 and is still ongoing. Hours after the arrest made headlines, Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, 70, was photographed entering her Los Angeles home. Ragland and Thomas married in 1979, welcomed Meghan two years later, and divorced when their daughter was young. Ragland has maintained a close relationship with Meghan and Prince Harry, while Thomas has been estranged from his daughter for years.
The case is serious, the family history is complicated, and the legal process is just beginning. We’ll continue to report verified updates as they’re confirmed. What’s your reaction to this story?
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Local Lawton
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