Worker charged with heroin possession at school

FRIENDSWOOD — A worker hired to clean a school under construction was arrested on campus and charged with heroin possession, authorities said Friday.

The arrest has Friendswood school district administrators reviewing the scenario that allowed the man who police said was a felon to work on school grounds.

Bond for Robbie Carlton, 49, of Houston, was set at $40,000 on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested at 6:48 p.m. Thursday at Friendswood Junior High, 1000 Mansion Parkway, Friendswood police said in a statement.

Police stopped a man, 27, for a traffic violation at 5:22 p.m. in the 100 block of W. Parkwood Avenue and found a syringe with brown liquid, the statement said.

The man told police the syringe belonged to a co-worker, who was working at the school, police said.

Police alleged the heroin belonged to Carlton, the statement said.

Carlton has convictions for involuntary manslaughter in 1990 and narcotics possession as recently as 2006, according to public records and statements by police.

Carlton was hired by the school’s subcontractor working on construction of the junior high, school spokeswoman Karolyn Gephart said.

“The subcontractor assured the school that whenever people are placed on campus with students and staff, they will have background checks,” Gephart said.

The subcontractor hired a temporary worker to clean up after hours, she said.

“Our Assistant Superintendent George Rodgers is meeting with them to go over how something like this can happen and what to do in the future to ensure something like this won’t happen again,” Gephart said