A former Indiana deputy police chief was arrested and now faces federal child pornography charges after an investigation by the Department of Justice, 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 receiving and possessing child pornography.
Indiana State Police handled the investigation, referring its findings to the Department of Justice for charges to be filed in the case.
“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 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.”
Bond was demoted and relieved of his police powers in mid-July, and retired from the force on Aug. 19, according to officials with the city of Gary.
“I am shocked and disappointed to hear of the indictment of a former officer,” Mayor Eddie Melton told NBC Chicago. “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.”
Warning: The following description of the alleged crimes in the case may be disturbing to some readers.
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According to the indictment, the minor in the case was employed by the city of Gary in a Summer Youth Employment, and was assigned to the Gary Police Department.
The suspect in the case allegedly coerced the minor into engaging in sexually explicit conduct and to send him the images.
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If convicted, Bond could face up to 30 years in prison.
