A federal magistrate last week granted a request to push an ex-Gary Police commander’s potential child porn trial into next year, according to court filings.
James W. Bond, 52, of Crown Point, was indicted last month with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. He has pleaded not guilty.
Defense lawyer Alison Benjamin wrote in filings they needed more time to review the case’s evidence and prepare for trial.
Former Gary Police Commander James Bond, is pictured in this Wednesday, June 28, 2023 file photo. (John Smierciak / Post-Tribune)
U.S. District Magistrate Abizer Zanzi granted the request on Oct. 22. Bond’s trial is now set for April 28.
Bond used his high-ranking position to groom and prey on “young teenage boys who wanted to become police officers,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner said during a detention hearing last month.
The indictment has one victim — a 17-year-old city intern who Bond helped supervise at the Gary Police Department in July. Bond reached out, saying he could help the victim’s future career. They allegedly started texting, then Bond asked for an explicit video through Snapchat, he said.
A cached screenshot of the explicit video was found on Bond’s iPhone. Zenner said he suspected the video was purposely deleted.
Since the case was unsealed, investigators learned through a tip line that a second victim intern sent Bond a video in summer 2023, but appeared clothed. Both victims rebuffed Bond’s messages for a physical relationship, the prosecutor said.
“This is not a one-time thing,” he said.
Zenner also said that Bond allegedly groped a third victim while driving a police car with a group of teens. The latter two cases are under investigation, he said.
Bond joined the Gary Police Department in 2001, according to its website.
He worked in patrol, community-oriented policing and investigations. He was a deputy commander in the Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force and a supervisor in the former Lake County Metro Homicide Task Force. He led the force’s Special Operations division, before he was appointed deputy chief last year.
The case is before U.S. District Judge Philip Simon. Defense lawyers Paul Stracci and Mike Woods represent Bond with assistance from Benjamin.
Anyone with more information can call Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP.
