State rep alleges attempted blackmail by Beaumont con woman

State Representative Joe Deshotel has made an official report with the Texas  Department of Public Safety (DPS) Rangers alleging Beaumont felon Mary Bond has embarked on a course of blackmail and extortion, threatening the elected official and others with public embarrassment and manufactured criminal allegations if he failed to pay her money to stop the chain of events she was willing to put into motion. Deshotel, like many other Southeast Texans, has given Bond money before – when she was allegedly raising money for hurricane victims, when she was allegedly raising money for school programs, when she was allegedly raising money for COVID victims. But also like many other Southeast Texans, he is now warning others, he learned too late that the only charity Bond was working for was herself.

According to Deshotel and others taken in by the alleged con woman, the perpetrator multiplied victims by sporting sheep’s clothing to do wolf work. Thousands and thousands of dollars have allegedly been misappropriated, multiple victims have revealed prior bad acts that have gone unreported until now, and police departments throughout Southeast Texas have been alerted to Bond’s current alleged criminal proclivities.

Still, despite a string of police reports, criminal indictments and arrests, Bond is out on bond and still contacting those who have made criminal complaints against her.

“It’s been an experience like one I’ve never had before,” Deshotel told The Examiner. The veteran politician and public servant verbally pondered the ramifications of publicly addressing what he characterized as a blatant attempt at extortion, but weighed the public good in exposing the criminal activity to prevent others from falling prey to Bond’s schemes. “I’ll tell you what I know.”

Like Bond has on prior Golden Triangle political campaign trails, the alleged extortionist arrived on scene like an angel who fell from the heavens to assist as a volunteer. She block walked. She called to solicit voter support. She showed up every day to do whatever was asked of her. She became an integral part of the team, and she was eager to do more. Then, she made her move to work on the campaign of Deshotel’s chief of staff, Christian “Manuel” Hayes.

“She said she’d have to take a leave of absence of her job so she wanted $3,000 for the month of January, and $3,000 for the month of February,” Deshotel said. Wanting to support Hayes’ campaign, Deshotel sent Bond the requested funds for January through Cash App. “Then I started hearing … she’s got a lot of baggage.”

From misdemeanor
to felony

Mary G. Bond, 36, of Beaumont, has a criminal record dating back to when she was still a West End youth. Giving false ID to the police in Beaumont, possession of controlled substances, criminal mischief, and tampering with a government-issued license or certification in Houston littered Bond’s permanent record prior to her poising herself for a comeback.

Released on parole from the Texas prison she was sent to after failing to meet the conditions of deferred probation for above noted crimes, Bond found herself among a giving group – recovering addicts of the AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) family.

“It’s all supposed to be anonymous, so I really don’t know if I should say anything – but I feel like so many people have been hurt because I couldn’t say anything,” a former AA member shared with The Examiner, on condition of anonymity for themself, as well as any other member unintentionally exposed in the retelling of the story. “She hurt people close to me – and she hurt me, too.”

According to Bond’s former friend, the new AA associate came in like a breath of fresh air.

“She was always so willing to help,” they said. “She was smart. She was funny. She was outgoing, and she made us all think she was a good person. Sure, she had a past, but she was overcoming all that.

“Or, at least that’s what she made us believe.”

In 2016, a chance encounter outside the confines of the AA group led to a revelation of a long con within the AA group.

“I ran into (an elder AA member) and he said, ‘I wanted to thank you for putting the rental car that Mary got in your name. It was worrying me by being on my credit card,’” the former friend relayed. There was no such provision, they added. The man had agreed to allow Bond to use his credit card to rent a car for a day. Bond allegedly informed him that the mutual friend would pick up the rental thereafter. By the time he spoke to the mutual friend, it had been over a month – and it was still on the man’s credit. “He thought the whole time it’s been off his card. But I had never put anything on my credit card.”

“I told others what was going on,” Bond’s former friend said. “Then the flood gates opened.”

Talking amongst the group revealed more alleged bad acts: “Someone said they got a message from me to solicit donations for a baby shower, there was $1,500 collected for a banquet that cost $500 with no money given to the group, someone else gave $250 to ‘me’ for assistance with a member who had fallen on hard times…” the list went on and on.

“It was basically nickels and dimes, but it added up,” they said. “That thing with the rental car, though, that was just wrong to do that to such a nice man.

“She preys on people with humanity. She used my identity to hurt people. She’s a con artist on a really deep level.”

In February 2019, Bond was again in criminal hot water for her alleged con games. According to an arrest warrant signed by Officer Michael Shaw from the Vidor Police Department, Bond committed theft by accepting cash payments from a prospective tenant and appropriating the money to her own pockets at the Vidor-based Twelve Oaks Apartments on Highway 12.

“Upon further investigation, the prospect positively identified a temporary employee, ‘Maria,’ as (Mary Bond),” the officer swore. Bond, he further noted, “was hired through a personnel temp service and was employed at Twelve Oaks from Jan. 9, 2019 to Feb. 1, 2019.

“The last cash payment (of $619) from the prospect to (Bond) was on Feb. 5, 2019, some four days after (Bond) was no longer employed at Twelve Oaks.”

January 2022, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office accepted the theft charge. Bond was convicted the same month, placed on 15 months of probation and paid $819 in restitution, according to DPS records.

The next calendar year, it was the Beaumont Police Department (BPD) tasked with charging Bond for alleged criminal activity – felony unauthorized use of a vehicle. This time, officers allege, Bond even brought her children into the criminal activity.

According to the affidavit for arrest penned by Officer Jared Dupree, the vehicle theft occurred in August 2020. At that time, an Enterprise Rental Car manager alerted police to a missing Toyota, recovered at Bond’s place of work nearly two months later.

An Enterprise Risk Management investigation revealed Bond “entered the store on Aug. 25 at approximately 8:30 a.m. and stole the keys to a 2020 Toyota Camry,” the officer detailed. “Bond left the premises and returned later when the business was closed and took the vehicle.”

“I reviewed the video … and also confirmed the white female who took the vehicle was that of Mary Bond,” Officer Dupree further attested. “Bond exited a Toyota SUV and then entered the Toyota Camry with her children before driving away.”

Bond was indicted for the state jail felony but, in the meantime, she had found herself in the company of yet another group of persons who would later allege she conned them, as well.

Rent is due

In January 2021, Bond was behind in rent – a lot. During eviction proceedings in Judge Ben Collins’ court, Bond presented a check photocopy for $2,000 allegedly sent to her apartment complex to cover some of her back rent – the only problem was the check was written from the account of the Jefferson County Democratic Party. Party Chairman Joseph Trahan was advised of the check presentation.

“Trahan and the other signor on the account advised they did not issue or sign the check,” BPD Detective Amber McMichael wrote in a probable cause affidavit for Bond’s arrest and prosecution. “Trahan advised he wished to file charges on behalf of the Jefferson County Democratic Party due to Bond stealing an unsigned check with the intent to use it.”

“A lot of this had been going on, but no one warned me,” Trahan told The Examiner. “I’ve known of her for about four years, but I didn’t really get to know her until 2020.”

Trahan said if you didn’t know any better, Bond was a hard worker with a passion for helping others.

“It came as a shock to me when, after the fact, they would come talk to me about experiences in AA,” Trahan said. “Misappropriating a friend’s identity, stealing money, cons for Thanksgiving meals, cancer patients, Christmas gifts for kids … It’s frustrating. Where were all these people?”

“As soon as I was made aware of what she was doing, I cut her off,” Trahan said, adding that he hasn’t spoken to Bond since learning of the stolen check. “I brought the check situation up to executive committee. I reached out to police. I thought that by me going to the police, hoping that they would seek charges, it would become more public.

“Months and months and months dragged on. I just thought she’d get off. She’s gotten away with so much over the last decade. I even saw her in the field. No one ever had anything negative to say about her.”

Trahan said the check Bond took from the Democratic Party was never negotiated, so the group was not out any money – but the local party stumper was incensed by the idea that someone would align themselves with a group of giving people strictly to con those generous enough to give to her alleged philanthropic endeavors.

Bond’s mere presence around persons of known good repute allowed for others to be taken in by her cons, according to Brandon Johnson, who has made a bid for office but considers himself more of a public servant than a politician. Johnson has many irons in the fire, one being the Believe and Achieve Foundation nonprofit that he alleges Bond stole from during her morass of rental woes.

Johnson said his introduction to Mary Bond was when she called to solicit his organization in 2019.

“She sounded so legit,” Johnson told The Examiner. Bond invoked other named supporters like prominent attorneys, doctors and elected officials, and asked if Johnson would participate in contributing to the good will cause, too.

“Of course I wanted to be involved. I saw her with these people in office, running for office, so I believed she was legit,” Johnson added. “She kind of earned my trust.”

Not long after, Johnson started getting letters from attorneys.

“So, as it turns out, she went online and found my tax exempt forms on the IRS website,” Johnson explained. “Then, she took out an apartment in the name of my nonprofit.”

As outlined in yet another probable cause affidavit penned by BPD Detective Amber McMichael, Bond’s rental at the Chelsea Apartments was attributed to Nicole “Nikki” Cook, an alleged board member of Johnson’s nonprofit, and a fake email address was set up to purport “Nikki Cook” as a Believe and Achieve Foundation executive.

“There is no one named Nikki on the board,” Johnson said.

Detective McMichael swore that she tried to make contact with Bond, with no success. All told, the detective reported, Bond benefited from $17,052.40 of rent-free living, much to the chagrin of the Chelsea Apartments management, the representative of which opted to press charges.

Johnson said the experience won’t stop him from giving generously in the future, even though he’s sure the funds given to what he thought were charitable causes headed by Mary Bond were just cons to secure easy cash.

“I get my blessings,” he said. “I can’t be mad at everybody because of what one person does.”

The cons continue

Although word was starting to get out that Mary Bond was accused of conning people who trusted her, those who would later find themselves taken in by her schemes say that she seemed to really know how to detract from her detractors.

When Christian “Manuel” Hayes announced his bid for the District 22 Texas Representative seat soon to be vacated by the outgoing Joe Deshotel, he said he was warned when Mary Bond started getting too close for the comfort of those who knew of past allegations.

“I knew there were some things people said about her. She told me about the check situation and explained it to me,” from her point of view, Hayes said. According to him, the story was plausible – not too heavy in denial, but not too heavy in admitting any real wrongdoing. She couldn’t be the face of his campaign, it was decided, but if she was willing to work hard and prove herself trustworthy, Hayes was willing to give the collaboration a go.

“Everybody,” he said, “deserves a second chance.”

Hayes said hardly any time passed at all before Bond blew that second chance. He hired her to work on his campaign at a rate of $3,000 per month. Before the first month was over, he told police and The Examiner, she had already drained his account of roughly $7,000, and used campaign donations to bond herself out of jail for two criminal charges related to the thefts Trahan and Johnson reported, as well as pay her rent, credit card bill and electricity bill.

“No good deed goes unpunished,” Hayes lamented. “It’s an unfortunate learning lesson.”

Somehow, Hayes explained, Bond was able to access his credit card account and pay directly from his credit. Also, he said, Bond opened a Cash App account in Hayes’ name and started soliciting contributions through the electronic transfer application. According to Hayes, Bond used the existence of Cash App to perform a smoke-and-mirrors routine on the income and expenditures of his campaign. Hayes said he tried to get receipts from her, but was unsuccessful. Taking matters into his own hands to trace the money, he learned the extent of the loss.

Hayes went through a laundry list of ills Bond allegedly exacted on him: She charged his campaign for a brunch that was sponsored by a private donor; she pilfered from printer invoices with fake receipts; she bought groceries from campaign donations; she paid a $500-plus electric bill from the campaign account; she sent Cash Apps to herself from the campaign donations; she bonded herself out of jail with money from the campaign …

“I asked her to quit,” he said, sometime between Jan. 27 and Jan. 29. “There’s no point to argue with a thief that has no contrition.”

Bond didn’t take the request well, Hayes explained.

“Then she blocked me out of my Facebook, and sent me threatening messages from it,” Hayes said.

But it wasn’t just him, according to Hayes; the Facebook hijacker was sending messages to multiple people, asking for money, giving “tea” on things Hayes says are untrue. Next came the texts.

“Happy to assist you with your (Facebook) access,” a message from a spoofed number attributed to Bond read. “Definitely need rent money sent to me today. When rent money is received you will easily be able to get your needs met. It’s just business.”

Hayes had no intention on giving Bond any more money, however.

“This is not my money,” he said. “People donated money to this campaign because they believe in me.

“She basically conned me. Some people think I gave her a second chance, I deserve this.”

Hayes said it is his nature to forgive, and he forgave Bond the moment he realized she worked to deceive and steal from him – but he still reported her alleged criminal activity to the police.

“Sometimes it’s easier for people to just try to carry on,” he said. “I’m not one of those people.”

Joseph Trahan, another candidate for the District 22 Representative seat currently held by Deshotel, said he was also sent a message from a spoofed phone number believed to be Bond. In exchange for money, maybe for rent, the texter would supply incriminating information about Hayes’ campaign. Trahan declined the offer.

“I sent a screenshot to Christian,” Trahan said. “No one had a conversation with me about Mary Bond before – but I wish they did.”

Trahan said he believed Bond tried to start a smear campaign against him, too, and he hoped his effort in pressing charges against her alleged theft would keep someone else from being yet another of Bond’s victims.

“I did what I thought was the best thing,” Trahan said, although not everyone agreed with him at the time. “We need to make officeholders aware; go to the police. This is a pattern.

“I don’t know how she keeps getting off.”

State Rep. Deshotel said he, too, received a text message at the beginning of February from a spoofed phone number thought to be Mary Bond that indicated they wanted to sell information about the Hayes campaign. Additionally, if Deshotel didn’t pay the $3,000 Bond claimed she was owed for working for Hayes in February, the texter would make sure there were repercussions for the elected official, as well.

“She didn’t even work for Christian in February,” Deshotel said. Deshotel was dismayed by the theft from Hayes’ campaign, and Bond’s indignant attitude when confronted with evidence of her alleged crimes. “Then I started looking for other things over the years.”

“No pressure,” Deshotel read from an email from Bond soliciting help for the homeless during Hurricane Laura. He sent $200. “I don’t know if she helped the homeless or not.”

An email from “Sandy Mills – I find out later that’s a name Mary Bond made up,”Deshotel said, conned him of another $100 donation sent via Cash App.

Money is needed for Hurricane Delta victims; Deshotel gave. Families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic need help; Deshotel sent another $200.  May 12, 2020, another $100 was sent for alleged philanthropic participation; Oct. 9, 2020, another $100 was sent.

“I had no reason to think anything,” Deshotel said, pointing to $1,900 worth of receipts sent to Bond’s alleged charity in 2020 alone. In the fallout of being banished from Hayes’ campaign, Deshotel said, “She tried to blackmail me, and I just didn’t respond to her.

“I went to the Texas Rangers. They have met with me twice.

“This has to stop.”

Deshotel said he hopes that justice will be served and no one else will fall victim to Mary Bond just because they want to help others and do the right thing. To the best of his knowledge, Bond is set to speak with investigators as this newspaper circulates.

“There were many victims. They thought they were doing the Lord’s work,” Deshotel said.

“The worst thing people think is that they won’t be taken advantage of at least once in life,” Hayes said. “Anyone who has been victimized by her, or anyone, you don’t have to remain a victim. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”