Ex-Bucks County D.A.R.E. police officer accused of sexually assaulting boys

This story originally appeared on NBC10.

A former police officer who worked to keep children from abusing drugs and resisting violence is accused of sexually abusing several teens and faces more than 100 counts of assault and abuse in a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, court.

James Carey, a retired Warminster Township police officer who worked with children as part of the D.A.R.E. program, is accused of sexually abusing at least four teenage boys dating back two decades, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said.

Carey, who turns 53 next week, was arraigned on at least 122 counts late Wednesday morning. The accusations against Carey include several counts each of indecent assault, statutory sexual assault, indecent assault of a child and corruption of minors, according to court records.

Carey’s bail was set at 10% or $100,000, according to court records. He was sent to county jail following his court hearing.

Carey said nothing as he entered the court Wednesday morning or left it in handcuffs. His attorney Michael Applebaum proclaimed Carey is innocent.

“We look forward to proving his innocence in court,” Applebaum said.

The arrest came after a grand jury investigation, the DA’s office said.

District Attorney Matt Weintraub will reveal details about the investigation at a 2 p.m. Wednesday news conference.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education, a.k.a. D.A.R.E. “envisions a world in which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance use, and other dangerous behaviors,” according to the national program’s website. D.A.R.E. programs aimed at preventing drug usage and youth violence are set up in for students of all ages in schools.

Carey, who is not married and has no children, left the Warminster force in 2007 and retired as a police officer in 2009, it was revealed in court. Carey, who is now a resident of Cape May County, New Jersey, has worked as a security guard since his retirement, but is currently unemployed.

This story is developing and will be updated.