DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – A former suburban Philadelphia police officer has been sentenced to many years in jail on convictions of sexual abuse of a number of teenage boys whereas he was working with a youth drug prevention program many years in the past.

Bucks County Decide Wallace Bateman Jr. on Tuesday sentenced 54-year-old James Carey to 24 1/2 to 55 years in state jail on 20 counts of statutory rape, aggravated indecent assault with out consent and associated fees.

“Your badge and uniform turned weapons of your depravity,” the decide instructed the previous Warminster Township officer. “You preyed upon probably the most weak of the group.”

Prosecutors alleged that Carey assaulted boys within the Nineteen Nineties whereas serving within the Centennial Faculty District as a useful resource officer with the federally funded Drug Abuse Resistance Training or D.A.R.E. program aimed toward educating children to withstand medication and violence.

Bateman famous that Carey couldn’t take a look at childhood pictures of the 5 alleged victims or take a look at the now-adult males in thire 30s and 40s as they gave impression statements. Carey, who later moved to Cape Could Court docket Home, New Jersey, declined to make an announcement earlier than sentencing.

Carey maintained his innocence however in October entered no contest pleas, which don’t embrace an admission of wrongdoing however acknowledge that prosecutors have sufficient proof to safe a conviction. He tried to withdraw the pleas months later however the decide refused to permit him to take action.

Protection legal professional Craig Penglase sought leniency, citing his shopper’s many years of public service in addition to alleged abuse by the hands of different inmates.