Former Gary Police commander accused of soliciting explicit content from minor in summer program

GARY, Ind. - A former Gary, Indiana police officer was arrested Thursday for allegedly enticing a minor to send him sexually explicit content.

James W. Bond, 52, of Crown Point, Indiana, has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and receiving and possessing child pornography.

While serving as a commander with the Gary Police Department this summer, Bond allegedly pressured a minor to create and send him sexually explicit content, prosecutors said.

At the time, the minor was employed by the city of Gary as part of the Summer Youth Employment Program.

Bond was demoted and relieved of his police powers on July 12, according to a city official. On August 19, he retired.

Bond's first court appearance was scheduled for Thursday afternoon, where he was ordered to remain detained in custody, pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, according to officials. 

Court officials said they are seeking continued pre-trial detention for Bond.

James W. Bond

The Mayor of Gary, Eddie Melton, released the following statement after Bond's arrest:

"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."

The Gary Police Chief, Derrick Cannon, also released a statement that read:

"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."