BRENTWOOD - An Exeter mother arrested by undercover officers on Monday brought along her 3-year-old child with her on the drug deal, according to the county sheriff's department.

Katelyn J. Kashian, 29, was held on $10,000 cash bail following her arraignment Tuesday in 10th Circuit Court in Exeter.

She is charged with three counts of sale of a controlled narcotic drug. Her arrest capped a three-month investigation by Rockingham County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Sheriff's detectives learned about Kashian selling the prescription medication Suboxone on Sept. 12 through a confidential informant. Between September and November, investigators arranged three drug buys at a grocery store parking lot.

A confidential informant brokered the first transaction on Sept. 12, the sheriff's department said. An undercover deputy posing as a drug buyer made two other deals with Kashian before her arrest on Monday, Sgt. Jay Murphy said in a sworn affidavit.

Kashian told the investigator Oct. 3 that she could sell him a quantity of Adderall, saying that "she would be getting her prescription filled," Murphy said in the affidavit. Investigators allegedly bought five Suboxone pills from Kashian during that transaction.

On Monday, Kashian called the undercover investigator wanting "to trade Suboxone for heroin," according to Murphy. Kashian was arrested at approximately 1:37 p.m. at a grocery store parking lot on Portsmouth Avenue.

When she met up to make the drug trade to undercover officers, she had her 3-year-old child with her, the sheriff's department said. Kashian was in possession of heroin and several other controlled drugs that deputies are still working to identify, the sheriff's department said.

Additional charges are expected to be filed. Kashian was initially held on $1,000 cash bail, but a circuit court judge increased it to $10,000 cash. She is due back in court for a probable cause hearing Dec. 5.

jkimble@newstote.com