The family of a Long Island educator charged with sending inappropriate messages to a minor plans to use their home as collateral for his bail, according to his attorney.
Mark Verity was in a Suffolk County courtroom on Saturday facing allegations of sending sexual messages to an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl and attempting to involve her in sexual acts.
The married father of two was reportedly apprehended in a sting operation conducted by Predator Poachers Long Island, a group dedicated to catching potential predators.
The group, which broadcasted its confrontation with Verity, 37, earlier this week, claims he admitted to contacting a 13-year-old “decoy account” and made a series of disturbing comments, including attempting to instruct the “girl” on masturbation and soliciting explicit photos.
They eventually published 76 pages of shocking chat logs.
The seasoned music instructor from Wading River Elementary also allegedly confessed to possessing a substantial collection of child pornography featuring children as young as 8 and attributed his deviant behavior to a lack of intimacy in his marriage, according to recorded footage.
During his brief arraignment that lasted around five minutes on Saturday at Suffolk County Criminal Court in Central Islip, Verity, dressed in a black hoodie and gray pants, remained quiet and expressionless as Judge Mary Kate Mullen set a bail amount of $75,000 cash, $150,000 bond, or $750,000 partially-secured bond.
His wife, who is also a teacher within the same district, and their two young children did not attend the hearing.
Requests for comments from Martinez and Verity’s parents went unanswered promptly.
