Who is James Carey? Ex-Pennsylvania cop facing 122 child molestation charges ordered to pay $250,000 for bail
WARMINSTER, PENNSYLVANIA: A retired Pennsylvania cop has been hauled back to jail after a judge deemed his $100,000 bail as "woefully inadequate". James Carey was charged earlier this month for sexually abusing at least four teenage boys on multiple occasions. Following his arrest two weeks ago, he was released after posting 10 per cent of the $100,000 bond. Now the judge has decided to up the bail to $250,000.
This increase came after two new victims came forward on Tuesday, 20 April, according to prosecutors. Following the news, Bucks County Wallace H Bateman Jr decided to revise the bail amount. The Judge argued that Carey remains a danger to society if free. During the time of reporting, Carey is yet to post the required amount and is being held in the county jail. He has also been asked to surrender his passport and police credentials.
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"In a perverse and criminal dereliction of his duty, James Carey instead took advantage of his power and credibility while on the job as a police officer to sexually abuse our community’s most vulnerable: our children," Bucks County DA Matt Weintraub said. Here's everything we know about him, and the charges against the former cop.
Who is James Carey?
The 53-year-old was working as a Warminster Township police officer. Carey was assigned to the D.A.R.E program, an initiative to help keep children away from drugs and violence. We couldn't find a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter profile for Carey. Carey served as a DARE officer for Log College Middle School in the Centennial School District. He was also involved in the Boy Scouts, worked with the Warminster Police Teen Activity Corps and ran the township fire department's Fire Explorers program, according to NBC Philadelphia.
Through these many roles, Carey interacted with children on an almost daily basis and often took them on field trips. According to the DA's office, Carey served as an officer in Warminster between 1989 and 2009. Prior to that, he spent three months in 1988 working for North Wales Police Department in Montgomery County, and nearly a year at the Warwick Township Police Department. In 2009, he retired from the police department.
Since then, he has reportedly been working as a security guard and bus driver in Cape May County, New Jersey, where he lives. NBC Philadelphia reported he was unemployed at the time of his arrest. Carey is reportedly unmarried and lives alone in Cape May.
'A wolf in sheep's clothing'
Weintraub called Carey "a veritable wolf in sheep's clothing" and a "stain" on the police community during his arraignment in April. However, it isn't the first time Carey has run into trouble. He has been accused of improper behavior in the past but was never charged due to lack of evidence. As far back as 2001, Carey was investigated after Warminster Township police received a report that he had inappropriate contact with a boy, who was 17 at the time. No charges were filed at the time because the age of consent in Pennsylvania is 16.
Nonetheless, then-DA Diane Gibbons wrote a letter to the Warminster Township Police Department calling Carey’s behavior "very concerning". In 2005, he was fired for another reason but managed to get his job back in 2006, though at a demoted rank. Even though the arbitration decision was binding, the department removed Carey from patrol duties and most police work, leading him to reach a retirement settlement in 2009. Between 2005 and 2006, he worked at the Driftwood Campground in Cape May County, New Jersey. In late 2006, he was also investigated by the New Jersey State Police for inappropriate conduct with minors, but no charges were filed.
In 2020, Bucks County detectives reopened the investigation into Carey after a male victim came forward to report being abused by Carey. That sparked a nearly year-long investigation that led detectives to multiple other victims, with allegations going as far back as 1991.
Abuses in Warminster
Investigations connect Carey to co-conspirator Charles “Chuck” Goodenough, who ran the Fire Explorers program along with Carey. In March this year, Goodenough died due to a drug overdose, just days after Bucks County detectives served a search warrant at his home. Goodenough too had a long history of being suspected of child abuse, but the scope was never fully revealed. Carey though has been arrested and charged with at least 122 counts including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and official oppression.
According to the 80-page grand jury presentment, Carey "used his position and authority to groom, not only the children but their adult caregivers". He reportedly abused children as young as 13, at the school, around town and even in his home. He is also accused of providing minors with drugs. One victim testified that he was forced to perform oral sex after Carey cornered him with a bag of marijuana at Log College Middle School. A second was abused multiple times between 1991 and 1996, sometimes at home when the individual was on community service.
So far, four victims have come forward, but prosecutors believe that there may be more. Anyone with information is urged to contact Bucks County Detectives at 215-340-8216 or 215-348-6504.