Onley man accused of child pornography related charges denied bond

By Linda Cicoira

An Onley man accused of possession of child pornography and related charges was denied bond Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court.

Thirty-four-year-old Justin Travis Sokaitis, of West Main Street, was remanded to jail to await a preliminary hearing scheduled for Dec. 8, in Accomack Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. Warrants filed in that court were not available for public view because at least one child was involved.

The docket stated Sokaitis was charged with possession of child pornography, computer solicitation for sex, soliciting a person to perform in child pornography, and indecent liberties. At the bond hearing, the defendant was accused of offering a child $5,000 to perform an indecent act, three counts of possessing child pornography, encouraging indecent liberties, and using a computer to solicit.

After hearing arguments from Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney William Fox, and defense lawyer Jarrett McCormack, Judge W. Revell Lewis III found Sokaitis to be a danger to the public and denied his appeal for bond.

Fox said a laptop and a desktop computer were seized from his home. He said investigators are still processing the desktop. “Numerous photographs and videos that were incredibly disturbing and incredibly violent” were found on the laptop. “This is not a one-time thing.  This has been ongoing for we don’t know how long,” the prosecutor added.

A letter from pretrial services stated that it would be “practically impossible” to monitor the possible use of electronic devices by Sokaitis were he to have been given bond.

“We’re talking about two videos from a girl who said she is over the age of 18,” defense lawyer McCormack argued. “One conversation, one transaction.” The lawyer said her real age was not disclosed until after the transaction. McCormack also complained that his client was not being adequately treated for his mental and physical health conditions while in jail. He said he was given two of three drugs he needed.

Judge Lewis said there was a record of his care for extreme depression with medications and he is visited weekly by both a psychologist and a psychiatrist.

McCormack mentioned his client’s back pain issues but what was needed to treat him was not mentioned.

      A letter from his mother was also entered into court records. The judge wondered why his mother was not in court to answer questions about what she wrote. Sokaitis planned to continue living at his mother’s home if he had been granted a bond.