Boston 25 News published December 27, 2023: Winthrop police lieutenant who fosters children through DCF accused of child rape held on $200K bail. A longtime member of the Winthrop Police Department was ordered held Wednesday on $200,000 bail in connection with an investigation into child rape allegations after authorities say he confessed to the crimes in a cemetery on Christmas Night.
WCVB Channel 5 Boston published December 27, 2023: Mass. police lieutenant, DCF foster parent, charged with raping a child. Winthrop, Massachusetts, police Lt. James Feeley was arraigned on one count of rape of a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child.
WCVB5 ABC News
written by Brittany Johnson and Veronica Haynes
Wednesday December 27, 2023
BOSTON — A police lieutenant was in court Wednesday to face charges he raped a child.
James Feeley, 56, of Winthrop, was arraigned in East Boston Court on one count of aggravated child rape and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child younger than 14.
According to court documents, Feeley confessed to the rape and indecent assaults to Winthrop Police Chief Terence M. Delehanty and others on Monday while he was at a cemetery near the graves of his parents, threatening to harm himself.
Feeley was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for an evaluation, and he surrendered his service weapon, according to court documents.
The victim said the incidents started a year ago and are believed to have happened in Winthrop, according to court documents.
"James Feeley has been placed on administrative leave from the Winthrop Police Department pending the outcome of a criminal investigation headed by State Police Detectives assigned to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office," Delehanty said in a statement.
The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families confirmed that Feeley was a foster parent for the agency.
"The Department of Children and Families is investigating these disturbing allegations against a foster parent," a written statement said. "There are no foster children currently residing in the foster home."
The DCF would not say when or if children were removed, citing state and federal privacy requirements.
According to the court documents, Feeley, surrounded by multiple family members, confessed to the crime on Christmas night, while holding a handgun and standing in a cemetery near his parent's gravesite.
When Feeley was asked by Winthrop police chief Terrance Delehanty why he was in the cemetery, he answered, "What do you think?"
Feeley's defense attorney said he has no criminal record and has worked for the department for 20 years with an unblemished record.
Feeley was ordered held on $200,000 bail. He was ordered to stay away from the victim, have no contact with anyone younger than 16 and to wear a GPS device. He will return to court Jan. 29.
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