DARLINGTON — The theft of a car amplifier from a Platteville business in April led to the arrest on drug charges of four people living in a motel in Shullsburg.

Patrick Ernest Bass, 29, is charged with felony possession of drug paraphernalia to manufacture methamphetamine in the presence of child younger than 14. He’s also charged with felony bail jumping and misdemeanor counts of receiving or concealing stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Lacey Fae Leifker, 28, and Connor Jay Lehmkuhl, 30, face similar charges plus one misdemeanor count each of neglecting a child.

Kristopher Timothy Leifker, 31, is charged with misdemeanor possession of THC and felony counts of bail jumping, possession of an amphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia to make or store meth and maintaining a drug trafficking place.

All are charged in Lafayette County Circuit Court and have pending charges in other counties, too.

According to the criminal complaints, the investigation began with a report of a stolen Pioneer-brand amp from the Tricom Radio Shack in Platteville on April 22.

The business owner located the stolen amp for sale on Facebook for $150. A Lafayette County detective conducted an undercover purchase of the amp outside a motel in Shullsburg, leading police to gather evidence through a subsequent traffic stop and search warrant.

Police found that Bass, Lehmkuhl and Lacey Leifker were living together in a room with a 6-year-old child and using drugs together, and Kristopher Leifker lived in a neighboring room. Search warrants located meth, marijuana, prescription pills and patches, syringes and tourniquets and a cooker for heroin.

The criminal complaints note the child was unharmed. Lacey Leifker told police that while the child had witnessed her and the others using drugs, most drug use happened in the bathroom out of sight.