How long Thomas Markle Sr. could serve in prison revealed after child pornography arrest

See more of our coverage in your search results. Thomas Markle Sr. could be calling prison home for the rest of his life after his arrest for possession of child pornography. Shari Karney, a national legal analyst and attorney, exclusively told Page Six, “Federal child pornography possession sentences can be substantial. Recent federal sentencing statistics put the average possession sentence at approximately 83 months — nearly seven years behind bars.” The attorney and survivor’s rights advocate continued, “Twenty years behind bars could effectively mean Thomas Markle dies in federal custody. At 82, even a five- or ten-year sentence could amount to a life sentence.” Thomas Markle Sr., seen in Rosarito, Mexico, in December 2017, could face up to 20 years in prison on his possession of child pornography charge. Karl Larsen / BACKGRID The estranged father of Meghan Markle, photographed above, could “die in federal custody,” according to national legal analyst and attorney Shari Karney. LB/GDoggy / BACKGRID According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Markle “would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.” In the criminal complaint obtained by Page Six, Markle appeared in two of the images alongside an underage girl. The filing claims a witness identified him as the adult in the photographs. Karney said this alleged evidence could “raise questions investigators must pursue.” Markle could use his dementia diagnosis to help shorten his sentence, as the attorney explained, “His age, dementia, amputation, and other serious medical problems could significantly affect sentencing. A defense attorney will undoubtedly argue that a lengthy prison term would be tantamount to a death sentence. “Being elderly, disabled, or the father of a duchess does not confer immunity from criminalprosecution. The law does not have a royal-family exception.” If convicted, his health issues could influence placement in the federal prison system as well. “The Bureau of Prisons is legally obligated to address serious medical needs, and Markle’s condition could require specialized medical care,” the attorney explained. Markle Sr., posing in Rosarito, Mexico in 2021, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. BACKGRID Markle Sr., seen with his son Thomas Markle Jr. and daughter Samantha Markle for an interview with Channel 7 Australia in 2023, was released on bond hours after the arrest. Channel 7 Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! Markle appeared in court Friday — just hours after he was arrested at the Maravida Senior Living care home in Lakeland, Florida. The former director of photography of lighting was released back to the senior living facility under the condition that he has no contact with minors. Markle’s accusations first came to light last month when Markle Sr.’s son, Thomas Markle Jr., reported to Cebu City authorities in the Philippines he had found a massive stash of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) belonging to his father. Markle Sr. was never arrested in the Philippines and the investigation was ongoing in coordination with the FBI. Markle Sr., speaking during an interview in Los Angeles in 2022, has been diagnosed with dementia and was released back to his facility. BACKGRID / BACKGRID The Duchess of Sussex, seen in 2026, has stayed silent on the arrest. / SplashNews.com Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! According to the criminal complaint obtained by Page Six, FBI special agents searched two storage units registered to Markle since 2008. His last payments were made by auto-pay in October. Inside the units, agents seized approximately 78 items — including slides, film negatives, and books that contained suspected child sex abuse material. His son, Thomas Jr., initially went to the The Sun with the allegations. At the time of his son’s allegations, Markle Sr. called them “sick lies.” Daily Mail later reported that one of their reporters found “vile” materials in his abandoned storage unit in Mexico. Meghan, pictured above at the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 show during Paris Fashion Week in October 2025, has been estranged from her father. Getty Images for Balenciaga Meghan, seen with Prince Harry in October 2026, called the allegations “disturbing.” / SplashNews.com Meghan Markle said the investigation left her “deeply disturbed” in a previous statement to Page Six, though she plans to remain silent regarding the arrest. The Duchess of Sussex and Harry moved from California and now reside in England after moving back to the UK in August. They are set to embark on their first joint overseas trip to Brussels since the move. Page Six has reached out to reps for Meghan and Harrym, and his ex-wife Doria Ragland for comment. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? 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