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Thomas Markle is back in federal custody in Florida. He was transferred there after removing his electronic bracelet. Earlier, the father of the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle and father-in-law of Prince Harry was placed under house arrest on charges of possessing child pornography.
On Tuesday, Thomas Markle appeared before a federal judge in Tampa, Florida, and was denied bail. Markle removed the electronic bracelet Tuesday morning, prosecutors said.
On Tuesday, Judge Lindsey S. Griffin found that Markle had violated the conditions of his pretrial release, according to court documents. As part of his house arrest, he was ordered to wear a location tracking device.
Representatives for Thomas Markle have not yet commented on the change in the preventive measure. The BBC has sent them a request for comment.
Judge Griffin described Markle's living situation as "unacceptable," writing in the order revoking the house arrest that "in the absence of suitable housing, no accommodation could reasonably guarantee the safety of others or the defendant's appearance in court."
She also ordered a medical examination of Markle and said that he "must receive all necessary and prescribed medications unless the doctor stops them."
Markle, 82, was first arrested last week after the FBI searched storage units in Los Angeles registered in his name and rented by him since 2008, with the last payment made in October of this year, the Justice Department said.
Inside the premises, agents seized approximately 78 items, including negatives, slides and books, said to contain child sexual abuse material, according to the FBI.
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Witnesses "unmistakably identified" Markle in two images allegedly containing child sexual abuse material.
In these images, the man depicted "appears to be between 30 and 40 years old," suggesting the alleged abuse happened decades ago, as Markle is now 82 years old.
Markle appeared in court last week following his arrest. During the hearing, he pleaded not guilty.
He is charged with one count of possession of indecent images of children, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
FBI Director Cash Patel said last week that Markle "targeted innocent children and sought to deprive them of their innocence through his criminal actions."
Thomas Markle, in turn, called these accusations “a vile lie.”
He moved to the Philippines last year after suffering a series of strokes. In Florida, he learned to walk again after amputating his leg.
The Duchess of Sussex has not spoken to her father since 2018. She finally cut ties with him last year, telling him that both she and the authorities were aware of his behavior towards underage girls, the BBC has learned.
In a previously released statement, Meghan Markle wrote: "I am deeply saddened... my thoughts are with the children who may have been harmed."
She said she hoped for an understanding of why she had almost completely stopped communicating with her father and "wouldn't allow him to communicate with our children."
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