MONTICELLO, KY – A man faces multiple charges after allegedly orchestrating a shoplifting attempt involving his teenage son at a Walmart on Saturday. According to the Monticello Police Department, the father left his son in the store with a cart full of unpaid merchandise, prompting intervention from store security and law enforcement.
Jonathan Carlton, 32, was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including abandonment of a minor, unlawful transactions with a minor, and endangering the welfare of a minor. Police said that Carlton instructed his son to push the cart past checkout points while he left the store.
The situation unfolded when a store security guard caught the teenager attempting to exit with the items and contacted the authorities. Police Major Josh Asberry responded to the call and located Carlton at a nearby shopping center, where he was subsequently taken into custody.
During the investigation, the boy reportedly informed officers that his father had devised the plan and instructed him to handle the stolen goods. After leaving the teen alone, both Carlton and the boy’s stepmother were accused of failing to alert law enforcement about the ordeal.
Carlton’s wife reportedly told officers that her husband had ordered her to leave Walmart and drive to a nearby motel where they were staying, leaving the boy without contact or support during the incident. Despite her involvement, no charges have been announced against the stepmother.
An affidavit viewed by law enforcement details the boy’s attempt to navigate the cart past payment checkpoints, backing up the claim that he acted on his father’s instructions. The case has prompted an ongoing investigation with involvement from Child Protective Services.
While Carlton was booked into the Wayne County Detention Center, police emphasized that additional charges could stem from the investigation as they continue to examine the family’s actions and circumstances surrounding the event.
Authorities have confirmed the absence of any prior alert from Carlton or his wife to law enforcement concerning their son, signaling a neglect of responsibility that played a pivotal role in the charges against the father.
This incident has highlighted concerns about parental neglect and unlawful influence, prompting further legal scrutiny of the family dynamics at play.