BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE AUTAUGA NEWS
WETUMPKA – A disgraced former Wetumpka Firefighter could face at least 20 years or more in prison, after pleading guilty in court this morning to multiple sexual crimes involving minors.
John Cole Carter, 32, was arrested two separate times last year concerning allegations involving minors. He resigned his position as a firefighter after the first arrest.
Carter was in an Elmore County courtroom this morning for a plea agreement, admitting guilt to the charges against him.
Sentencing for those crimes will be Feb. 22 before Circuit Judge Joy Booth. During that sentencing, District Attorney CJ Robinson says everything will be put on the table, including video evidence, jail phone calls, texts and more to show the “disgusting” crimes to which Carter is now admitting. He is being represented by Richard White of Montgomery.
Carter admitted to five different charges, including transmitting obscene material, possession of child pornography, second-degree sex abuse, electronic solicitation of a child and enticing a child for immoral purposes.
Robinson said there has been so much misinformation circulated since the two arrests of Carter, and he hopes that with this plea of guilt the case is now clear. The victims in this case included a child as young as 13.
“This one is especially tough when you consider this was a man put into a position of public trust,” Robinson said. “He was in a position of respect, and what this has done is give all of us a black eye. He is someone who held a badge of public trust. That is a loss to all of us. The public trust is for them to do the right thing and he was mixed up with underage girls. But we have a job to do. Misinformation was spread for seven months, and (Carter) wants everyone to apologize when he was here today to plead guilty.”
Robinson said this entire case came about because concerned parents came forward when they realized their child was communicating with Carter. This opened up investigations, and more information coming out that led to additional charges.
During today’s plea agreement, prosecutors showed evidence that would have been used had the case gone to trial.
That included two victims in the first half of 2023, and included crimes with phone, text and video. One of the victims told investigators they had traveled to the Wetumpka Fire Department station and the Carter’s family business to meet with Carter where they engaged in inappropriate behavior.
At one point, prosecutors revealed evidence where two of the victims were asked by Carter to film sex acts in the shower, and they agreed. Carter was talking to the victims by phone during the video while fully nude and masturbating.
Carter would also ask about the victim’s fantasies. Prosecutors presented evidence of one of the victims saying they fantasized about having sex with a married man, and Carter replied, “I can help check that off the list.”
Robinson said sentencing day will be difficult as the evidence to be presented will be hard to watch.
“Today in court there was a lot of discussion between us, the defense and Judge Booth with regard to the range of sentence. Technically if everything were added up consecutively, (Carter) could have served 70 total years if found guilty on all counts. But with a plea agreement, today it was decided it could be in the range of 20 to 30 years.”
In order to negotiate a plea agreement, the DA’s Office did drop some of the lesser charges.
Robinson said his office will emphatically argue for the longest sentence possible. The final sentence will be up to Judge Joy Booth.
Currently Carter remains in Elmore County Jail on a $500,000 bond. Robinson said should he make bond, Carter would be forced to wear an ankle monitor, and could be considered a flight risk. He is hopeful Carter will remain in jail until sentencing in February.
