Update 3/15: At Friday's bond hearing, Leake was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 29. Prosecutor's also put defense on notice that they plan to review the matter and to potentially amend the charges to reflect "Bell's Law," which requires a mandatory life sentence for those convicted of certain sex offenses against a child less than 13 years of age. Leake remains in jail at Central Virginia Regional Jail.
Update 3/14: Leake's case has been moved to Louisa Juvenile Domestic Relations Court. Another bond hearing has been scheduled for Friday at 9:30 a.m.
Louisa County Sheriff's Office
Press Release
Louisa Sheriff's Office and Child Protective Services received a complaint of the sexual assault of a child in the county. A 10-year-old female and her mother who reside in another county reported that family acquaintance Joe Leake had offered to take the 10-year-old victim shopping, but instead had taken her to his residence in Louisa County. Once at his residence the victim alleges a number of crimes occurred.
Based on the initial investigation, Joe Leake was arrested on one count each of the following charges. Leake was held without bond at Central Virginia Regional Jail and is scheduled for a bond hearing March 14 at 8:30am in Louisa General District Court.
- Abduction
- Object sexual penetration
- Aggravated sexual battery
- Indecent liberties by custodian
- Forcible sodomy
Due to the sensitive nature of this investigation, it is extremely unlikely that further details will be released.
