(La Porte, IN) - A former longtime public servant made his initial appearance in La Porte Circuit Court yesterday.

           

John Sullivan, 62, of Wanatah is accused of going inside the home of a woman without her permission in Noble Township.  He allegedly fondled himself in her bedroom and had contact with some of her undergarments.

           

Wearing a suit and tie, the retired firefighter and former two term La Porte County Coroner appeared in the courtroom with his attorney.    Sullivan was released from jail the day after his arrest last week on $750 bond.

 

Judge Tom Alevizos ordered him not to have any contact with the 38-year-old victim while out on bond.   He could wind up back in jail to await the outcome of the case if he violates the no contact order.

           

Sullivan is charged with Residential Entry and Malicious Mischief.

 

He was allegedly caught engaging in lewd activity inside her bedroom by a security camera the woman recently had installed.  She told police Sullivan used to be friends with her late father and performed some handyman-type work at the residence she purchased several months ago.

 

The woman told investigators she bought the security system after suspecting things inside her home at times were out of place and having a feeling she was being watched.

 

In 2018, Sullivan was sentenced to one-year of having his whereabouts monitored by GPS after going inside the home of a 40 year old woman without her permission.  His conviction resulted in him stepping down from the La Porte County Council.

 

Sullivan is also former school bus driver for the South Central School Corporation.

 

After his arrest in 2017, Sullivan told police he went inside two other homes when nobody was there without permission over the past 20 years.

 

Sullivan was a full-time firefighter for over 30 years in the City of La Porte and a volunteer firefighter for the Cass-Clinton Township Fire Department.