A New Hanover County man was sentenced to more than five years in a state correctional facility for dealing heroin at a local apartment complex while on supervised release from federal prison.
Yuri Antonio Scott, 36, pleaded guilty Tuesday in New Hanover County Superior Court to four counts of trafficking heroin by selling between 4 and 14 grams, according to District Attorney Ben David. Prosecutors believe Scott was a significant heroin dealer in the area.
David said Scott sold more than 1,200 bags of heroin in a controlled purchase with law enforcement in the area of Tide Water Apartments in October and December 2014. The controlled buy was part of a joint operation and investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.
The transactions were made while Scott was on federal supervised release for gun and drug charges, David added.
“This was a surgical strike upon a significant heroin distributor who had been poisoning our community. This would not have been possible without the partnership of dedicated federal and state agents,” said Assistant District Attorney Timothy Severo, who prosecuted the case for the state.
Scott was represented by attorney Blake Spale. Superior Court Judge W. Allen Cobb sentenced Scott to 70-93 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections.
