Changes planned for James Feeley’s plea hearing on Monday

A. former Winthrop police lieutenant and confronting the foster parent. accusations of sexual abuse against multiple children He is expected to appear in Superior Court Monday morning for a change of plea hearing, according to the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office.

James Feeley, 57, of Winthrop, previously pleaded not guilty in Suffolk Superior Court to charges of aggravated rape of a child and seven counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to court records.

Prosecutors alleged Feeley assaulted the child involved in the case multiple times between August 2022 and December 2023, when the child was 10 and 11 years old. Authorities said Feeley was a foster parent before his arrest. The attacks occurred at Feeley’s home in Winthrop, where he lived with his family.

Feeley was arrested the day after Christmas and admitted in a recorded interview to sexually assaulting the boy five or six times, prosecutors said.

Feeley is expected to appear at the hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Monday in Suffolk Superior Court, according to James Borghesani, a spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden.

“We will provide the victim and the victim’s family with all the support, guidance and assistance they need and deserve as this troubling case progresses through the court process. Our prosecutors and victim witness advocates are acutely aware of the challenges victims and families face in these types of cases and are well equipped to assist from start to finish,” Hayden said in an earlier statement.

Attorney Stephen Neyman, who represents Feeley, and Winthrop Police Chief Terence M. Delehanty did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday.

Feeley is currently in custody at the state’s Hampden Jail in Ludlow and is expected to be transported to court for a hearing on Monday, according to court records.

The child reported the abuse to another adult on Christmas Day, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said Feeley’s wife learned of the abuse and confronted Feeley, who “did not deny the abuse.”

On Christmas Eve, Delehanty received a call from his brother, a sergeant with the department, who warned that Feeley was in “bad shape” at Belle Isle Cemetery, according to a State Police affidavit. According to State Police, Feeley asked to speak with Delehanty.

Delehanty went to the cemetery, where he found his brother Feeley and several members of Feeley’s family. Feeley was allegedly carrying a gun and believed Delehanty was suicidal.

The affidavit alleges that Feeley admitted to sexually assaulting the child. Feeley apologized to Delehanty and the chef’s brother.

Delehanty asked why Feeley was in the cemetery next to his parents’ graves, and Feeley replied, “What do you think?” he replied.

Delehanty convinced Feeley to surrender the gun. Feeley later underwent a psychiatric evaluation at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The hospital alerted the state Department of Children and Families to the alleged abuse, according to a State Police affidavit.

The state child welfare agency said it had launched its own investigation into the allegations. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

Previous Globe coverage was used in this report.

John Hilliard can be reached at [email protected].