🔴 Victims were able to face Officer James Carey during his sentencing

🔴 One described Carey as a “monster of a human being"

🔴 Carey was a DARE officer and volunteer firefighter


WARMINSTER — Five boys sexually assaulted by former police officer James Cotton lashed out at the officer with victim impact statements during his sentencing Tuesday.

A judge sentenced James Carey, 54, who now lives in Cape May Court House, New Jersey, to serve 24½ to 55 years on five counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and corruption of minors, seven counts of indecent assault, two counts each of statutory rape and statutory sexual assault and one count of aggravated indecent assault.

Carey, a Warminster police officer between 1989 and 2009, pleaded no contest to the charges in October.

'Monster of a human being'

Prior to sentencing, Carey's victims delivered impact statements in court. One described Carey as a “monster of a human being" and said Carey's actions filled him with anger and resentment that led him down a path of substance abuse, incarceration, and suicide attempts.

Another said he lived his teenage years hating himself and blamed himself for Carey's behavior.

“This has impacted every aspect of my life: physically, mentally, financially and emotionally," the victim said.

Using his position to prey on kids

First Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said Carey used his positions as a police officer and volunteer firefighter to make himself part of the lives of his victims. Many of his victims testified that the assaults happened while Carey was in uniform.

“He ingratiated himself into the lives of his victims, this is how he identified the most vulnerable among them, this is how he got away with perpetrating unimaginable sexual crimes upon children,” Schorn said. She described Carey as a “predator waiting to pounce.”

Carey was initially charged in April 2021 with assaulting four victims between 1989 and 2009. A fifth victim came forward after the case was public.

The judge during the sentencing chided the Warminster police department for not doing more for the victims when they first reported Carey.

“When a young man goes into the police department to make a report I would expect a more professional response,” he said.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for PA Living News. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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