A former City of Gary intern has filed a federal lawsuit that accuses a onetime Gary Police Department commander of sexual harassment and related misconduct, pulling the already troubled department back under a harsh spotlight.
The complaint, first reported Tuesday, involves a minor and lands on top of earlier federal criminal allegations that rocked the department last year.
According to FOX 32 Chicago, the lawsuit was filed in federal court and targets a former commander, alleging sexual harassment and similar misconduct. The station’s brief online piece and broadcast offered few specifics about the detailed claims, the amount of damages sought, or the internal allegations behind the filing, describing it generally as a federal civil action involving a minor.
Case background
The civil case arrives in the shadow of a September 2024 federal indictment that accused then-Gary police commander James W. Bond of enticing a minor to produce sexually explicit material and of possessing child pornography. ABC57 reported at the time that investigators said the alleged victim in that criminal case had been employed through the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program and that federal prosecutors brought the charges in U.S. District Court in Hammond.
Officials respond
City officials said they moved quickly once they learned of the allegations tied to the commander. According to prior public statements, the officer was first demoted, then allowed to retire. Mayor Eddie Melton publicly labeled the accusations “reprehensible.”
In a statement to FOX 32 Chicago, Melton and Police Chief Derrick Cannon said the city would fully cooperate with investigators and would handle the matter with “utmost gravity.”
Legal implications
Federal law strictly criminalizes the production, receipt and possession of sexually explicit images of minors under statutes including 18 U.S.C. § 2251 and § 2252A. Convictions can bring long prison sentences.
As described in earlier reporting, the sexual exploitation count cited in the 2024 indictment carries a potential prison term of 15 to 30 years, while receipt or distribution charges can carry 5 to 20 years. Those criminal penalties are separate from any civil damages the new lawsuit may seek.
For the underlying legal framework, see the statute text for 18 U.S.C. § 2251 on the Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute and 18 U.S.C. § 2252A on the Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, which set out the federal rules on child sexual exploitation and related offenses.
What's next
For now, public details about the newly filed civil complaint are scarce, with FOX 32 Chicago providing the initial glimpse. The case’s docket number, specific claims and requested relief should appear in federal court records as filings are processed.
Reporters, attorneys and court-watchers will be keeping an eye on the federal docket for hearing dates, new motions and any filings that shed more light on the allegations as the case moves forward.
