Ex-Indiana police officer enticed minor to produce child pornography, feds say
A Gary, Indiana, police officer was accused of enticing a minor to produce and record sexually explicit content in a federal indictment on Thursday.
James W. Bond, 52, was arrested and charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and receiving and possessing child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Illinois.
Federal prosecutors alleged that in early July, Bond, while he was a commander with the Gary Police Department earlier this summer, "enticed and coerced" a minor to produce sexually explicit conduct and sent it to him. The minor was employed at the time by the City of Gary as part of its Summer Youth Employment Program and was assigned to the police department.
Bond was arrested Thursday morning and was expected to appear in federal court in Hammond in the afternoon. His attorney said he was in Hammond City Jail, but he'll be transferred to a detention center in Kankakee.
He's expected to be back in federal court next Tuesday.
A guilty verdict for the sexual exploitation of a minor could result in a prison sentence between 15 and 30 years. Receiving child pornography carries a sentence of between five years and 20 years, and the possession of child pornography count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
A spokesperson for the City of Gary said Bond was demoted on July 12 and relieved of his police powers. He then retired from the police department on Aug. 19.
Bond was interviewed numerous times by CBS News Chicago over the past 20 years as he worked his way up in the department. In the summer of 2023, he was named deputy chief for Gary police.
In a statement, Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon said:
"As the Chief of Police, it is imperative that I address the community regarding troubling accusations against a former officer with our agency. The mission of the police force is to serve and protect our community, especially those who are the most vulnerable. Let me be clear: actions such as those alleged in the indictment will not be tolerated in our community, especially within our agency. Upon becoming aware of these allegations, swift action was taken to ensure the safety of our employees and the officer named was immediately removed from his authority. While details regarding the ongoing investigation by Indiana State Police cannot be disclosed at this time, rest assured that we are treating this matter with utmost gravity. We will continue to work with the investigating agency with full transparency."
In a statement, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said:
"I am shocked and disappointed to hear of the indictment of a former officer. The alleged actions of this individual are reprehensible and do not represent the City of Gary's, nor my administration's core values at all. I would like to thank all community members who have assisted our law enforcement officials during this investigation. As mayor, my priority is to create a culture of safety. Once the Gary Police Department was notified, they immediately triggered an investigation into the alleged wrongdoing. To those who may be impacted by these allegations, be assured that the City of Gary takes this matter seriously and that we will continue to cooperate with the investigating agency to ensure justice is served."
