By Eric Blaisdell | STAFF WRITER
BARRE – A Waterbury Center couple allegedly sold and used drugs in front of their 7-month-old child.
Robert J. Farnsworth, 29, faces multiple charges of selling and smoking cocaine with his baby only a few feet away.
Farnsworth pleaded innocent at his arraignment in Washington County criminal court in Barre Thursday on three charges of selling cocaine, one charge of possessing an ounce or more of cocaine, and a charge of endangering a child less than two years old, all felonies. He was released on a $10,000 appearance bond.
If convicted of all charges, Farnsworth faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison and a $1,100,000 fine.
The charges, which were levied by the Attorney General’s office, stem from a drug task force investigation into the selling of cocaine in Washington County.
According to the police affidavit, the police used an informant wearing an audio recorder to go into Farnsworth’s home and buy 3.5 grams of cocaine three times at the end of June and beginning of July. Twice when the informant bought the drugs, there was an infant about 10 feet away from Farnsworth as he smoked cocaine.
Farnsworth was first identified as a cocaine seller by the informant who cooperated in exchange for consideration on criminal charges.
Based on the information gathered by the informant, the police were granted a search warrant of Farnsworth’s home and on July 3, they confiscated 75.8 grams of cocaine and arrested Farnsworth and his live-in girlfriend, and mother of the infant, Reava Burnor, 24.
After the arrest in July, Farnsworth admitted to police that he had been selling cocaine since 2008, sometimes as much as nine ounces a week. When asked how many times he sold cocaine, Fansworth told police, “millions bro.” Farnsworth said he would drive down to Connecticut to get the cocaine and would also pick it up in Montpelier.
Burnor was also arraigned Thursday and pleaded innocent to aiding in the sale of cocaine, endangering a child less than two years old, and possession of cocaine, all felonies. If convicted of all three charges, Burnor faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $650,000 fine. She was also released without bail.
Burnor was witnessed by the informant handing the drugs to Farnsworth to weigh out for sale.
Both Farnsworth and Burnor admitted that Farnswoth smoked cocaine in front of their child many times. Burnor said she had gone with Farnsworth twice to Connecticut on his drug runs and she and their baby were with Farnsworth when he picked up 26 grams of cocaine in Montpelier on July 2. Burnor admitted to occasionally snorting cocaine.
