Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was detained in Florida on Tuesday, Nov. 10, after he "cut off" his ankle monitor, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The 82-year-old is now in federal custody without bond, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed to USA TODAY.
Markle was placed under house detention last week following his arrest on Friday, Nov. 6. He is charged with one count of possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to the FBI, Markle kept child sexual abuse material, including sexually explicit photographs of himself with prepubescent girls, in two Los Angeles-area storage units that he rented for almost two decades.
Markle removed his ankle monitor at 1:45 a.m. ET on Nov.
10 and was subsequently arrested by federal law enforcement. At a hearing in Tampa, U.S. Magistrate Judge Lindsay Saxe Griffin of the Middle District of Florida ordered him jailed without bond.
Following Markle's initial court appearance Friday, Griffin ordered him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is mentally competent to stand trial.
In her order, she cited concerns about Markle's health, advanced age and memory. A forensic psychiatrist has until Nov. 20 to submit her findings to the court.
"Release conditions are court orders, not suggestions," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote in a post on X earlier Tuesday. "We are asking the court to revoke his release and detain him pending trial, and we will continue to prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law."
Markle has denied the allegations against him, calling them "sick lies."
USA TODAY has reached out to Markle's attorney for comment. Representatives for the duchess did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday.
Markle's ex-wife Doria Ragland, Meghan's mother, helped the FBI identify him in alleged child sex abuse photos, USA TODAY understands. The pair were married for eight years, divorcing in 1987.
Markle's detainment order comes as Meghan was seen in public for the first time since her dad's arrest.
The mother-of-two stepped out in Brussels, Belgium, with Prince Harry on Tuesday, despite a troubling weekend. While Harry delivered remarks about online child safety at an event at the European Parliament as planned, Meghan did not speak in what was supposed to be a joint address from the royal couple.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duchess Meghan's father back in custody after cutting off ankle monitor
