A former Gary city intern has sued ex-Police Commander James Bond in federal court, alleging he was groomed, then sidelined in an office for the rest of his internship after he reported it.
The Post-Tribune is not identifying him, because he is an alleged sex crime victim. The lawsuit also names the city of Gary, Gary Police Department, and Gary Youth Services. He is asking for unspecified damages.
Gary city spokesman Steve Segura said he couldn’t comment on pending litigation. Lawyer Carla Pyle, representing the victim in the civil lawsuit, was not immediately available for comment.
In the 24-page lawsuit filed last week, the victim said he started his city internship and got placed in the Gary Police Department in June 2024.
By early July, Bond started sexting him, including a video of his genitals, the lawsuit alleges. Bond also asked the victim to send him explicit videos of himself. He attempted to get the victim to meet him outside of work, filings state.
The Gary Police Department, city and Youth Services Bureau “were aware of (Bond’s) actions” or “should have been aware due to similar incidents with other minors employees or young males employed through the Summer Program and failed to take any action to prevent the harm” to other interns, according to the lawsuit.
After he reported the incidents, the intern got “sequestered” in an office, while Bond worked freely. The intern ran into him after he reported it, the lawsuit states.
The victim stated he lost out on a college scholarship, delayed going to college and racked up legal fees.
Bond, 53, formerly of Crown Point, was indicted in September 2024 in the U.S. District Court in Hammond for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography.
The indictment has one victim — a 17-year-old city summer intern who Bond helped supervise at the Gary Police Department in July 2024. Bond reached out, saying he could help the victim’s future acting career. They allegedly started texting, then Bond asked for an explicit video from the boy through Snapchat.
It is not immediately clear if the victim in the civil lawsuit is the same person. Federal prosecutors cited at least two other victims, but not enough evidence to indict Bond.
Lawyers have said in court they are working on a possible plea deal.
A pretrial conference was rescheduled this week for November.
