A federal magistrate rescheduled a detention hearing Wednesday for a now-former School City of Hammond maintenance director on child porn charges, saying he couldn’t be released on bail until his home’s utilities were turned back on.
Magistrate John Martin told the court Wednesday that pretrial services needed a “final home inspection” to prove it was “livable.”
His arraignment and detention hearing, which will detail the alleged facts behind his charges, was reset for 12:45 p.m. Aug. 28 in the U.S. District Court in Hammond.
David Reyes, 58, of Hammond, was indicted Friday for production of a minor engaging in any sexually explicit conduct; distribution of child pornography; and possession or access with intent to view child pornography.
Documents allege he used his work phone to upload child porn featuring young boys and received sexually explicit videos and messages from an out-of-state 14-year-old male. The incidents happened between February and April.
Records show the school board terminated Reyes at its Tuesday meeting, with an effective date of Aug. 11. Ted Bryak has been selected as a temporary replacement.
The Post-Tribune reached out several times in the week prior to publication to Hammond officials who did not respond.
School Board President Carlotta Blake-King previously declined comment, saying it was an ongoing investigation. On Wednesday, she referred questions to Acting Superintendent Anthony Salinas.
“What parents want to know is are our children safe,” former school board member Cindy Murphy said during a school board meeting Tuesday, which was posted online. “Have they been safe?”
The Post-Tribune reached out Wednesday to Salinas and Human Resources Director Le Terra Smith, with questions noting Reyes lived within walking distance of Hammond Central High School. They were not immediately available for comment.
“I recognize how painful this situation is that we’re all in right now,” Salinas said during the meeting.
The district “acted swiftly,” by removing Reyes from his job and cutting off all access to school district technology, he said.
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He couldn’t “speak to details of the investigation,” but acted after they found out so there was “no type of threat, or harm to staff and students.”
According to court filings, Indiana State Police got a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a Discord user uploaded three files showing boys, some of whom were engaging in sex acts.
Investigators traced it to Reyes’ school district-issued cell phone.
Hammond Police at around 7 a.m. Aug. 11 joined Department of Homeland Security officers to execute a search warrant at a home in the 400 block of Highland Street, according to a copy of the call the Post-Tribune received. The house was in “very poor condition,” and officers called both Hammond Animal Control and Code Enforcement, the call reads.
Code Enforcement deemed the house “uninhabitable” and had NIPSCO come to turn off the gas and electricity, while Animal Control removed a dog but couldn’t find five cats, according to the call.
The warrant, according to court documents, was for his residence, pickup truck and his cellphone, as well as multiple other electronics, which were seized from his home, truck and office. In the truck, investigators found a briefcase reportedly containing a notebook with all of Reyes’ passwords and usernames.
After the search warrant, investigators found just over 900 videos and over 400 images on Reyes’ cellphone. The “overwhelming majority” was child pornography, filings state.
Court records also allege that Reyes had a sexually explicit chat on an online app with the underage boy, who said he was 14, and lived outside Indiana. The app is not listed, but the tagline — included in documents — appears to refer to the Session app.
After the story was published on Monday and started circulating on social media, Salinas issued a statement to staff and parents.
A staff member “engaged in inappropriate use of technology,” he wrote without naming Reyes. Salinas directed parents with questions to his office.
Parents had called and emailed his office, Salinas said during Tuesday’s meeting, adding they had “nothing to hide.”
Post-Tribune archives contributed.