MiddletownJournal.com

The Middletown man accused of attempting to sell his 2-year-old son in the parking lot of Walgreens pleaded not guilty in court Monday morning.

Jason W. McCarthy, 30, is charged with child endangering as a result of the alleged incident.

He is scheduled to appear before Middletown Municipal Court Judge Mark W. Wall for trial at 11 a.m. Thursday.

McCarthy's court-appointed attorney, Cynthia Brandenburg, said her client was not trying to sell his baby.

"I spoke with Mr. McCarthy at length," Brandenburg said. "I don't believe he's guilty of child endangering. All he did was ask for money for his child for gas and food."

Officers responded to Walgreens, at 700 S. Breiel Blvd., after Beth Anne Abel called police early Monday reporting a man asked her to buy his child and then left in a red car at 12:49 a.m., the report said.

Police later located McCarthy talking to a man on a bike in the area of in the area of Young Street and Forest Avenue, a "high-drug activity area," the report said.

McCarthy was arrested for loitering in aid of a drug offense. Magruder told police she believed McCarthy he was attempting to buy drugs. The child was in the back seat of the car, the report said.

Abel later identified McCarthy.

Middletown Assistant Prosecutor LaRhonna Carson said Tuesday that McCarthy asked Abel "to give me money for my son."

The child was removed from his parents' custody a day after the incident, according to Butler County Children Services spokeswoman Denise Winkler.

The boy originally was released to his mother, Amy Magruder, who was with McCarthy at the time of his arrest, said Maj. Mark Hoffman. The two told police they lived at 417 Curtis St.

McCarthy appeared in Middletown Municipal Court for domestic violence against Magruder just two weeks before his arrest late last month.

He was given one-year probation and ordered to complete a domestic violence program, according to court records.

McCarthy, a former Hamilton resident, also has an extensive criminal record with the Hamilton Police Department dating back to 1994.

According to Hamilton Municipal Court records, in 2006 McCarthy faced charges of driving under financial risk suspension, driving under suspension 11 counts, unauthorized use of a vehicle, obstructing official business, drug paraphernalia and for seat belt-passenger violations.

In 2005, McCarthy was charged with theft, robbery, receiving stolen property, driving under financial risk, contempt of court, possession of drug paraphernalia and drug abuse, according to court records.

Other charges against McCarthy have included carrying a concealed weapon in 1995, attempted and petty theft in 1994, burglary and having no driver's license in 1996, resisting arrest in 2002 and domestic violence in 2004, according to Hamilton court records.

Megan Engle and Dave Greber contributed to this report

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2840 or dgreber@coxohio.com.