Hope for Prisoners CEO indicted with additional accusers and sexual assault allegations

September 30, 2026 - 12:02 pm Hope for Prisoners CEO Jon Ponder indicted on additional sexual assault charges A grand jury has returned an expanded indictment against Jon Ponder, chief executive of the nonprofit Hope for Prisoners, adding multiple counts of sexual assault and related offenses to the charges he already faced. According to prosecutors, Ponder now faces four counts of sexual assault, several counts of sexual abuse of an inmate by a prison contractor or volunteer, several counts of unauthorized custodial contact with a prisoner, two counts of first‑degree kidnapping, and a number of charges described as open or gross lewdness. Ponder had previously appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court on similar allegations. District Judge Carli Kierny subsequently raised his bail from $200,000 to $1 million. This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.