SALISBURY — Joey Ray Butler of Locust was convicted on drug charges Friday in Rowan County Criminal Superior Court.

Butler was convicted on two counts of felony trafficking in opium or heroin by possession and transportation.

Judge Mark Klass sentenced Butler to two consecutive sentences of a minimum of 70 months to a maximum of 93 months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of $50,000 in each case.

Detectives with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office followed Butler and saw him buy about 39 grams of heroin for $2,900. When detectives made a traffic stop, Butler threw out an Oreo cookie package. The package was recovered and was found to contain the heroin, which was confirmed by the N.C. State Crime Lab.

Butler had previously been convicted of felony possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and felony possession of heroin, among other convictions.

Rowan County District Attorney Brandy Cook thanked Assistant District Attorney Tim Gould and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office in seeing that Butler was brought to justice.