CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Two Chesterfield parents have been arrested for making and selling drugs in front of their children.
Marilyn Diaz and Francisco Rodriguez were arrested on August 11, charged with five counts of child abuse and neglect and multiple counts of possessing and distributing drugs, and distributing narcotics near schools.
Police told CBS 6 Diaz and Rodriguez was selling cocaine from their home on Breezy Court in Chesterfield where they lived with five kids, all seven years old and younger.
"Shocked very shocking actually," said one of their neighbors, Jasun Wofford. "I would think that that is something they would not want to have around their children," Wofford continued.
Chesterfield police said the arrests were part of a much bigger investigation.
Francisco Rodriguez and Marilyn Diaz
CBS 6 dug deeper and found in June, Rodriguez was sentenced to eight years in jail for distributing drugs. Court documents show, a judge let Rodriguez out on a $30,000 appeal bond.
While out on bond, police watched Rodriguez closely and charged him with several more counts of possession and distribution of drugs.
CBS 6 legal expert Todd Stone explained, "Rodriguez was released on an appeal bond, the judge gave him that and the prosecution and detectives continued their investigation and they obviously believed he was continuing to sell drugs because they’ve got charges on him very shortly after he was released on bond."
Stone said Rodriguez and Diaz could now have a big price to pay.
"Each of these drug distribution offenses carries up to 40 years in prison as a maximum. Both the child being present and the fact that Rodriguez was recently convicted of a drug offense, those two things put together could really aggravate the sentence for Rodriguez if he is found guilty."
Rodriguez will be back in court on November 18.
