MACCLENNY, Fla. – The parents of the toddler who disappeared July 24 appeared before a Baker County judge after their arrests Wednesday night on charges of selling drugs.
Bond of $350,000 was set for Lonna Lauramore Barton, 25, who is charged with selling synthetic narcotics within 1,000 feet of a church and possession of drug equipment. Christopher Barton, 41, was ordered held on $600,000 on the same charges, plus the sale of opium.
Their arrest comes hours after the couple was in court in Duval County for a custody hearing during which a judge ordered them to be screened for alcohol, drugs and mental health.
Baker County Sheriff Joey Dobson said the pair, along with Shawn Clayton Hall, 32, were arrested Wednesday night after a 30-day investigation.
REPORT: Christopher Barton, Lonna Lauramore Barton, Shawn Hall arrest report
Hall was ordered held on $310,000 bond on charges of selling synthetic narcotics within 1,000 feet of a church and possession of drug equipment.
Lonna Barton was out on bond on charges of child neglect and lying to police in connection with the July 24 disappearance of her 21-month-old son, Lonzie. Prosecutors in Jacksonville said they will file a motion to have her bond revoked.
The arrest report says a confidential informant was told Lonna and Chris Barton used syringes to inject themselves with Molly, also known as MMDA or ecstasy, and they encouraged the informant to do the same.
According to officials, Hall and the couple had been under surveillance and investigation for about a month. When Chris Barton sold Molly to undercover detectives three times between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Sheriff's Office made the arrests.
Dobson also said that Chris Barton was caught selling the synthetic opiate suboxone.
According to the arrest report, Tuesday's transaction was across from Glen Church of Christ in Glen St. Mary. Wednesday's transactions took place at the Motel 6 on State Road 121. Video surveillance taken at the hotel was collected as evidence.
According to officials Hall and Chris Barton were picked up in a vehicle that was headed down Interstate 10 just after they left the American Inn, where police found and arrested Lonna Barton.
"Our investigation and our intelligence information gathered pretty well that she was sort of living pillar to post," Dobson said. "We actually didn't know where she was living."
In court Thursday morning facing felony drug charges, neither Lonna nor Chris Barton showed little emotion.
When setting bond, the judge said that given her history and the pending charges against her in Duval County, he had to consider public safety.
Dobson said Lonna and Chris Barton's arrests were in no way related to the disappearance of their son, Lonzie, that the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate.