Former Gary police commander arrested on child pornography charges – NBC Chicago

A former Indiana deputy police chief has been arrested and faces federal child pornography charges following a Justice Department investigation, officials said.

According to a press release from the Indiana State Police, former Commander James Bond was arrested and charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and receipt and possession of child pornography.

The investigation was conducted by the Indiana State Police, who forwarded their findings to the Department of Justice for charges to be filed.

“Let me be clear: actions such as those alleged in the indictment will not be tolerated in our community, especially within our agency,” Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon said in a statement. “Upon learning of these allegations, swift action was taken to ensure the safety of our employees and the named officer was immediately removed from office.”

According to Gary city officials, Bond was demoted and stripped of his police powers in mid-July and left the department on August 19.

“I am shocked and disappointed to hear of the filing of charges against a former public official,” Mayor Eddie Melton told NBC Chicago. “The alleged actions of this individual are reprehensible and in no way represent the core values ​​of the City of Gary or my administration.”

Warning: The following description of the alleged crimes in this case may be disturbing to some readers.

According to the indictment, the minor in this case was employed by the City of Gary as part of a summer youth work program and was assigned to the Gary Police Department.

The suspect in the case is said to have forced the minor to perform sexually explicit acts and to send the images.

If convicted, Bond faces up to 30 years in prison.