A Porter Superior Court jury deliberated a bit more than an hour Thursday afternoon before convicting an Illinois man of six felonies related to child solicitation and sexual misconduct with a minor.
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Jason Hammer, 47, of Darien, Illinois, was found guilty of four Level 4 felonies, one count of child solicitation and three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor; child solicitation, a Level 5 felony; and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Level 6 felony.
The jury in Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer’s courtroom deliberated for about an hour and 15 minutes, according to court staff. He was taken into custody for transport to the Porter County Jail after the verdict. Hammer’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 5.
According to the charging documents, the abuse came to light March 31, 2023, when the victim’s father contacted police after finding explicit texts between his son, who was 15 at the time, and Hammer.
The boy, according to the charges, lived in the Portage area and snuck out of his home in the middle of the night so that Hammer could meet him at a nearby park. Hammer then drove the boy to a Valparaiso hotel, where Hammer engaged in sexual conduct with the boy.