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A grand jury has filed 21 criminal charges against an ex-Baltimore City Police detective who was shot last month and accused of sexually abusing children at his wife’s Owings Mills daycare.
James Stanley Weems Jr., 57, is charged with a dozen felony counts of sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree rape and soliciting a minor to produce child pornography related to incidents involving two minors, according to Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
He’s also facing nine misdemeanor charges, including committing unnatural and perverted sex practices.
The case stems from incidents that occurred between March 2020 and July this year, according to the indictment, and involves children at Lil Kidz Kastle Daycare, which is owned by Weems’ wife, Shanteari Weems, and where he worked for four years and drove a van.
Allegations against James Weems surfaced in July after his wife of five years shot him in a Washington, D.C., hotel while confronting him with accusations he was molesting children, authorities said.
Shanteari Weems, 50, told D.C. Metropolitan Police who responded to the shooting at the Mandarin Oriental hotel that her husband — who left the Baltimore Police Department in 2008 — is “a child molester,” according to a police affidavit.
In the hotel room, D.C. police found two handguns, two shell casings, and a notebook with handwritten notes in which Shanteari Weems wrote that she wanted to shoot the victim to paralyze him — and that she wanted “these kids to get justice.”
Shanteari Weems has been charged with assault with intent to kill. She’s also charged with possession of an unregistered firearm, unregistered ammunition and carrying a pistol without a license, according to police and court records.
The State’s Attorney Office previously charged James Weems with 13 counts related to three children, including two counts of third-degree sex offense, three counts of second-degree assault and one count of displaying obscene material to a minor, before the case was passed to a grand jury.
More than 90 children passed through the day care while James Weems worked there. Shellenberger said police are continuing interviews, but wouldn’t say if more charges were forthcoming.
“Police are continuing their investigation and we will respond based upon what their investigation leads to,” he said.
Neither James Weems’ next hearing nor a defense attorney were listed in online court records Wednesday.
James Weems told police that he had been shot in the head and leg. He was extradited to Maryland after he was hospitalized for his injuries.
Banner reporters Justin Fenton, Aaron Wright, Cadence Quaranta and Brenna Smith contributed to this article.
taylor.deville@thebaltimorebanner.com
Read more:
- Charging documents offer timetable of how police investigated child abuse allegations at Owings Mills day care
- Families, employees at Owings Mills day care say they questioned behavior of man charged in abuse case
- Baltimore County woman charged with shooting husband over day care molestation allegations will remain in jail
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Taylor DeVille covered Baltimore County government for The Baltimore Banner with a focus on the County Executive, County Council, accountability and quality of life issues affecting suburban residents. Before joining The Banner, Taylor covered Baltimore County government and breaking news for The Baltimore Sun.
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