Former Winthrop police lieutenant pleads guilty to child rape charges

WINTHROP, Mass. — A former Winthrop police lieutenant pleaded guilty to a slew of child rape charges.

James Feeley, 56, of Winthrop, appeared in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday morning where he pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexually abusing a child.

The former Winthrop police lieutenant was sentenced to four to six years in prison and five years of probation by the judge.

Documents show Feeley has been charged with aggravated rape of a child and seven counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.

Feeley was previously arraigned on fewer charges following his arrest and ordered held on $200,000 bail.

Investigators say the victim told an adult about the abuse on Christmas in 2023. Feely was arrested and allegedly admitted to sexually assaulting the child when they were 10 and 11 years old.

A criminal complaint obtained by Boston 25 at the time of his arrest alleged that Feeley “did unlawfully have sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse” with the victim and that the victim was “under 12 years of age.”

Feeley was initially placed on administrative leave but Winthrop Police Chief Terence M. Delehanty later announced that he was no longer a member of the Winthrop Police Department.

He served on the Winthrop Police force, for 21 years.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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