Former Gary Police Chief Charged with Sexual Relationship with Minor

Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged a former Gary police chief with having a sexual relationship and then coercing a minor to send an explicit photo to his iPhone.

James W. Bond, 52, is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, receiving child pornography and possessing child pornography, according to a press release from Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual.

He faces a prison sentence of up to 60 years.

Bond was arrested Thursday. He was scheduled to appear in federal court Thursday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Abizer Zanzi in U.S. District Court in Hammond.

According to Gary police spokesman Sam Roberts, he left the force on August 19.

The teen worked for Gary’s Summer Youth Employment Program. A brief federal indictment shows the crime occurred between July 2 and July 9, and Bond was caught with at least one pornographic photo sent to his iPhone.

Douglas Carter, Chief of the Indiana State Police, and Sean Carter, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, announced the charges.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois is stepping in to prosecute, in part because Bond also worked as a Gary homicide detective for several years. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Indiana has withdrawn.

Assistant District Attorney Elie Zenner is assigned to the case.

Additional potential victims or anyone with information should contact Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP.

This is a developing story. Check back for more information.

[email protected]