Man sentenced to five life sentences for sexual offenses involving children

PATRICK COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) – An Ararat man was sentenced to five life sentences with a one-year term. a range of crimes involving children.

Justin Sinclair Hawks was convicted of five counts of sodomy of a child under 13, five counts of aggravated sexual assault, one count of producing child pornography and two counts of indecent liberties.

Patrick County Commonwealth’s Attorney Dayna Kendrick Bobbitt said the case stems from a series of sexual assaults that occurred between 2015 and 2021, when the victim was between 7 and 13 years old. During this time, Hawks lived with the victim and was in a supervisory or caregiver role.

Bobbitt says that in one of the incidents, another child victim was sexually abused and witnessed.

During the investigation, the first child was interviewed by a trained forensic interviewer at the Patrick County Child Advocacy Center, according to Bobbitt. During this interview, the girl detailed how Hawks sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions. The second victim was also interviewed and confirmed to have witnessed an incident of harassment. Hawks eventually released a detailed statement corroborating both victims’ accounts.

Regarding the sentence, Bobbitt said: “I offer my sincere thanks to the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case. This outcome would not have been possible without the diligent investigation conducted by Inv. Tennille Jessup and most importantly the courage of the victims who came forward. When I took office, I promised the citizens of Patrick County that I would do everything in my power to protect our most vulnerable. I stand behind this promise and continue to adhere to it. I am grateful for our dedicated team who respond to reports of child abuse and neglect and provide thorough investigations that lead to more convictions. “My hope is that this outcome will bring some form of closure to victims and help them begin their healing journey.”

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