A retired Baltimore police officer was sentenced to life in prison Monday (April 14) for sexually abusing children at his ex-wife’s daycare.
The sentencing comes after James Stanley Weems Jr. was found guilty in November 2024 of three counts of sexually abusing a minor, two counts of second-degree rape, and one count of displaying obscene materials to a minor.
As previously reported, Weems’ victims attended Lil Kidz Kastle, a daycare center in Owinga Mills, Maryland, which was owned by his ex-wife Shanteari Young.
Weems, who retired from the Baltimore Police Department in 2005, had worked as a van driver for the daycare for two years.
According to court documents obtained by CBS News, Weems admitted to watching pornography while taking the kids to school but denied intentionally exposing them to it or engaging in any physical contact.
During the trial, a relative of one of the victims testified that the family discovered pornography on the child’s tablet, and she told them “Mr. James” first showed it to her.
The victim was 10 at the time of the abuse.
Prosecutors first brought charges against Weems in 2022, accusing him of abusing at least three children enrolled at the daycare. Following the guilty verdict, the District Attorney’s office said they would wait for his sentencing before deciding whether to pursue additional charges.
Weems’ ex-wife, Shanteari Young, also testified against him. Young was sentenced to four years in prison and two years of supervised release for shooting the retired police officer after learning about the allegations.
During the trial, Young was not allowed to tell the jury she had shot her ex-husband.
“Ms. Weems did something that she felt was worth it to protect those children and she’s been held accountable,” her attorney Tony Garcia said. “Now, it’s his turn.”
During her testimony, Young recounted the day she first learned about the allegations, saying she was overwhelmed and deeply distressed.
In contrast, she said Weems appeared “eerily calm” and didn’t ask a single question.
In March, a parent of the victim filed a civil lawsuit seeking to hold Weems financially accountable.
The lawsuit accused the retired police officer of negligence and false imprisonment after the victim broke down in tears during the trial. According to the filing, the victim faced nightmares and headaches following the ordeal.
“It has been devastating—a catastrophic experience, These are lifelong injuries,” attorney Jonathan Schochor said. “This young lady confronted what happened in court. Whether she can emotionally confront what happened in her life remains to be seen.”
Weems still faces over 20 additional counts relating to the other alleged victims.
