Among the most disturbing details of last week’s InTouch story about molestation perpetrated by 19 Kids and Counting’s Josh Duggar as a teenager was the revelation that Josh had confessed to the abuse to state trooper, only to be let off after a “stern talk” with the trooper—a family friend who was subsequently arrested on child porn charges.

That trooper, Josh Hutchens, is now defending himself from prison in an interview with InTouch, claiming that Jim Bob downplayed Josh’s misconduct when he brought Josh in to confess. Per InTouch:

In the new interview from prison, Hutchens said he was told by Jim Bob and Josh that “Josh had inappropriately touched [redacted] during the time she was asleep. He said he touched her through her clothing and he said it only happened one time.”

He said the fact that it was a one-time incident influenced his decision not to report it. “I did what I thought was right and obviously it wasn’t,” he says. “If I had to do it over again, I would have told him immediately I am going to call the hotline and contacted the trooper that worked those cases and have a full report made. I thought I could handle it myself.”

“It only happened one time” is just about the worst defense you could offer, but Hutchens’ statements do bolster the evidence that Jim Bob and Michelle sought to cover up Josh’s misconduct and help him avoid prosecution. It doesn’t sound like Hutchens was ever going to report Josh for his sexual misconduct, but Jim Bob clearly wasn’t pushing him in that direction.

Got a tip about the Duggars? Email me at allie@gawker.com. Photo via Instagram.