A federal judge will take a while longer to decide whether authorities can keep a close-enough eye on an Elkhart-based business owner to guarantee he’ll appear for trial next year. At a hearing Wednesday in U.S. District Court, the judge took under advisement defendant James LeDonne’s motion to be released from the St. Joseph County Jail so that he can better prepare his defense. One possibility is that LeDonne could be housed at the Bradley Center, which is a Michigan City halfway house operated by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The center allows offenders to move freely in the community during the day while wearing a GPS-based tracking device and return to the facility at night. LeDonne has been jailed since his May arrest on a federal indictment alleging bank fraud, wire fraud and bankruptcy fraud.
