Oak Harbor man wanted in Florida child pornography case held on bail

Oak Harbor police picked up Justin S. Kropf, 27, and Island County Superior Court set his bail at $20,000, or $2,500 cash, as Florida moved to bring him back on child pornography charges. Kropf had been living in an apartment on North Oak Harbor Street, tying a local address to a case rooted in Saint Lucie County, Florida.

Florida’s complaint charges Kropf with five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of transmission of obscene communication. It also alleges that he fled from justice by violating the terms of his bail, probation or parole.

Kropf appeared in Island County Superior Court on June 25 for an extradition hold hearing. During that hearing, the deputy prosecutor asked Judge Christon Skinner to keep him jailed on $100,000 bail. Skinner instead set a much lower amount, leaving Kropf held while the extradition case advances but far short of the state’s request.

The hearing was not a trial on the Florida allegations. It was a local court step to determine how Washington would handle a person wanted in another state and whether he would remain in custody while Florida’s request is processed. Under Washington’s Uniform Criminal Extradition Act, the governor can surrender a person charged in another state who is found here, and the law also covers cases where the demanding state alleges the person escaped confinement or broke bail, probation or parole.

Washington law also gives an arrested person the right to waive extradition, but only after a judge explains those rights. The case moved through Island County Superior Court in Coupeville, at 101 NE 6th St., rather than going straight to a transfer out of state.

Kropf is scheduled to return to superior court on July 20. Until then, the Island County case remains focused on custody, procedure and the mechanics of handing a wanted defendant over to Florida authorities.