Onley man pleads guilty to child pornography charges

By Linda Cicoira

    An Onley man who identified himself on websites as “nanu fanatic” bought and solicited child pornography from a young teen last year, he admitted Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court. 

     Nanu is defined as “a polite or loving word for a small girl.”

     The defendant, 34-year-old Justin Travis Sokaitis, of West Main Street, pleaded guilty to six child sex offenses in a plea agreement with Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney William Fox. 

    Sokaitis admitted to three counts of possession of child pornography, a count of soliciting a 13-year-old to be the subject of pornography, a count of encouraging a child to be in explicit materials and using an electronic device to solicit sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 15. The crimes occurred between January and September of 2023.

     Sokaitis initially planned to have a jury decide his fate. In exchange for the guilty pleas, Fox amended two of the indictments so mandatory prison terms could not be applied. 

     Retired Judge W. Revell Lewis III accepted the agreement and ordered a psychosexual evaluation and a long-form presentence report. Judge Lewis said although the agreement called for a cap at the midpoint of sentencing guidelines, those guidelines will depend on the results of the reports. The judge said the maximum punishment for the offenses was 60 years in prison.

     Sokaitis was taken back to Accomack Jail to await sentencing on Aug. 22.

     Fox said police in Tampa, Fla., contacted local authorities about an internet user. When deputies went to Sokaitis’ home, he confessed and turned over his cell phone and computer. The prosecutor said the defendant knew the child’s age. 

     At a bond hearing, Fox said illegal images were found on the man’s computer dating back to 2007. “This was not the first time.”