Warminster Chief Reacts To Ex-Officer's Child-Sex Charges

WARMINSTER, PA — Warminster Township's police chief on Thursday called the crimes with which a former officer is charged "cowardly" and thanked the men who have come forward to accuse him of sexually abusing them when they were as young as 13.

"The victimization of anyone, particularly children, is a horrific and cowardly act," Warminster Police Chief James C. Donnelly III said in a written statement. "Warminster Police strive to protect all persons from being victimized. The crimes described in this presentment, if proven, betray that trust and scar not only the victims, their families, and our community, but also leave an indelible stain on our police department."

James Christopher Carey, 53, of Cape May Court House, N.J., was arraigned Wednesday on charges including involuntary deviate intercourse, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and unlawful contact with a minor. In all, he faces 122 counts.

James Carey worked for Warminster Township from May 1989 until he retired from the force in May of 2009.

According to prosecutors, Carey was investigated in 2001 for contact he had with a 17-year-old boy. Because the age of consent at the time was 16, and because complete information about the situation could not be found, no charges were filed, according to Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub.

Carey was fired from the force, but successfully won his job back in arbitration and retired from the department as a corporal.

Donnelly said one of Carey's accusers came to Warminster Police on May 20, 2020. The case was referred to the district attorney's office to ensure there would be no conflict of interest, he said.

"We express our gratitude to the victims and witnesses of this case for having the strength and courage to come forward and speak about these allegations," Donnelly said. "We encourage any others who have been subjected to, have knowledge of or witnessed abuse to please contact the Bucks County District Attorney office to have your voices heard, so that healing can begin."

According to the charges against him, Carey met his victims through a variety of youth-oriented roles, including serving as an anti-drug D.A.R.E. officer at Log College Middle School. Two of his four accusers say they were 13-years-old when the abuse began.

The charges are the result of a grand jury investigation. The incidents his accusers describe include one boy saying Carey locked him in the bathroom of a Warminster community center and patted him down in a drug search before eventually performing a sex act on him.

Carey was released Wednesday after posting 10 percent of $100,000 bail.

Police urged anyone else who may have been victimized to contact detectives at 215-348-6304 or through the Crimewatch page at www.bucksda.org.

For local county advocacy agencies you may contact the Bucks County office of Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) at their 24-hour hotline at 1-800-675-6900 or on their website at www.novabucks.org.