Two strangulation charges were dropped for the executive director and CEO of the Gary Housing Authority, according to recently obtained Lake County Superior Court documents.
Prosecutors have also agreed to withhold the prosecution of two domestic battery misdemeanor charges, according to the stipulated pretrial diversion agreement for Taryl Bonds.
Bonds, executive director and CEO of the GHA, declined to comment on the agreement on Monday.
Bonds was originally arrested on June 20, according to online court records, and he was charged with two Level 6 felony counts of strangulation and two misdemeanor counts of domestic battery. His next hearing through the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office’s Pretrial Diversion Program is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2026, according to court records.
Through the agreement, Bonds must also enroll in an anger management program, and he is under a no contact order and no adverse contact order related to the two women allegedly involved in the dispute. The defendant must also commit no criminal offenses during the one-year period, according to the agreement.
“The parties agree and understand that the continuance of this matter shall be considered by the parties to be on the motion of the defendant, and the corresponding delay in trial shall be considered by the parties to be caused by this act of the defendant,” the agreement said.
According to Post-Tribune archives, a probable cause affidavit said police, on June 20, responded to a house in the 2300 block of Ellsworth Street at about 1:50 a.m.
One of the victims said they were cooking food when they allegedly began arguing with Bonds, and the second victim came downstairs and got in between the two, according to court records. Allegedly, Bonds pushed the second victim out of the way and wrapped his hands around the first victim’s neck. Officers could see marks on the first victim’s neck and scrapes on their knees.
The second victim said Bonds allegedly slammed them to the floor and choked them, and they had marks on their neck and bruises on their upper arms, according to Post-Tribune archives and court records.
Bonds was placed on unpaid administrative leave for two months due to “a matter unrelated to GHA operations” on July 1, according to Post-Tribune archives. The leave ended on Sept. 2, a spokesperson for the GHA said in a Monday email.
“We believe that this decision is in the best interest of the Gary Housing Authority and the community we serve,” Cynthia Taylor, chair of the Board of Commissioners, said in a previous news release. “We are dedicated to upholding our commitment to the residents of Gary and ensuring that the Authority operates with integrity and effectiveness.”
According to Post-Tribune archives, Bonds released a previous statement apologizing to the GHA and said the charges were “the result of an unfortunate disagreement between me and (a person living in his home)” and claimed it “has not been accurately portrayed publicly.”
“I extend my deepest apologies for the embarrassment experienced by the Gary Housing Authority as a result of a personal family matter,” Bonds previously said. “Most importantly, I regret the negative impact that this situation has had on my family, friends and loved ones.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/08/two-charges-dropped-for-gha-director-under-pretrial-deal/
