Former Baltimore City police officer James Weems Jr., who faces 21 charges related to alleged sexual abuse of children at his wife’s daycare, has been granted home detention while he awaits trial, as reported by CBS News.
The decision came from a judge’s ruling on Tuesday, allowing him to be on “Level 3 Home Detention” with certain conditions, even though he remains held without bail.
The charges against Weems Jr. stem from sexual abuse allegations made by at least three victims at his wife’s daycare, known as “Lil Kidz Kastle,” in Owings Mills, Maryland. In his role at the daycare, he worked as a bus driver. Weems is scheduled to face trial on May 6, 2024.
In 2022, the 57-year-old man faced initial charges, including three counts of sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree assault, third-degree sex offense, and fourth-degree sexual contact. He is also charged with one count for displaying obscene material to a minor.
This case took a significant turn when his wife, Shanteeri Weems, was sentenced to four years in prison for shooting her husband in a Washington, D.C., hotel room after learning of the accusations.
The investigation into Weems began on July 3, 2022, following reports from parents. A 10-year-old girl told her parents that “Mr. James” had shown her pornography on a daycare bus and inappropriately touched her on the playground. These allegations led to further inquiries by law enforcement.
On July 18, 2022, a search and seizure warrant was executed, during which the former Baltimore police officer’s cell phone was confiscated. Examination of Weems’ browsing history corroborated the 10-year-old girl’s statements.
As Weems awaits trial on the charges, the court has imposed stringent conditions for his home detention. Notably, he is prohibited from contacting children, victims, or witnesses related to the case. The outcome of his trial, scheduled for 2024, will be closely watched, given the gravity of the allegations and the dramatic turn of events involving his wife’s actions.
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