Thomas Markle, Father of Meghan, Arrested for Possession of Child Sex Abuse Photos

Thomas Markle, father of Britain's Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle, has been arrested on a charge of possessing child sex abuse material, including photographs of himself with naked ​underage girls, in rented storage units in California, US law enforcement authorities said on Friday.

via: People

Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan Markle, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on charges he possessed child sexual abuse material, federal authorities say.

Markle was arrested in Florida on Friday on one count of possessing child pornography, the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California announced in a Friday, Nov. 6 news release.

While he faces a statutory maximum of 20 years, the actual sentence would depend on the court's decision, according to the release.

According to federal prosecutors, investigators recovered approximately 78 items from two Los Angeles-area storage units linked to the 82-year-old Markle, including slides, film negatives and books containing suspected child sex abuse material.

The arrest follows an investigation that began after Markle's son, Thomas Markle Jr., reportedly alerted authorities to materials he allegedly discovered at his father's former home in the Philippines.

The Duchess of Sussex, who has been estranged from her father since the lead-up to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, spoke out last month about the allegations, expressing that she was "deeply distressed" by them. She also shared that her thoughts "are with any children who may have been harmed."

A friend of the Duchess of Sussex told PEOPLE on Oct. 26 that Meghan and Harry were receiving updates on the allegations while on a family holiday during their children's — Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 — school break.

"It's been really difficult. She's really cut up," the friend said. "She has young children, and I think that, alongside the victims, is just weighing on her mind. It's traumatic."

In her statement, Meghan addressed the decision to remain distant from her father, emphasizing that keeping him away from her children was a choice rooted in their safety and well-being.

"I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications' distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children was for one reason: to protect them," the Duchess said.

"I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families," she continued. "Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children."

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.