AUGUSTA — A judge on Tuesday ordered a city woman facing child sex abuse charges to undergo a mental examination by the State Forensic Service.

Loni D. Ingalls, 36, is charged with three counts of sexual abuse of a minor — all involving the same boy who was 14 at the time — as well as unlawful furnishing and unlawful possession of hydrocodone.

Ingalls, who is being held at the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of $3,000 bail, was at the Capital Judicial Center on Tuesday with her defense attorney, Stephen Bourget.

Justice Michaela Murphy ordered the psychological examination, apparently in anticipation of a guilty plea in the case. Results of that examination could help determine conditions of probation.

Ingalls’ next hearing is set for May 19 at the same courthouse.

Ingalls was arrested Feb. 22 after a two-week investigation by police, who were tipped off by the boy’s mother.

The affidavit by Augusta police Detective Tori Tracy said the mother showed police messages she had seen on a cellphone she had taken from her son. The boy later told investigators that Ingalls had supplied him with the phone.

The affidavit also says Ingalls used a pseudonym, Vivian Smith, when contacting the boy and when communicating with him via Facebook.

It says the sexual abuse happened in Ingalls’ apartment between Nov. 1, 2015, and Feb. 11, 2016.

The drug charges say she furnished hydrocodone in the form of Vicodin to the same boy and to his older brother from June 1 to Oct. 26, 2015, in Augusta, and that she possessed the Vicodin on June 1, 2015, also in Augusta.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams