Habitual felon pleads guilty to selling heroin, cocaine

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY)– A man with an extensive criminal history pleaded guilty to several charges in New Hanover County Court.

Mark Anthony Canty, 48, will spend up to nearly 13 years in prison.

In April of 2015, detectives saw Canty sell drugs to another man at the Handee Hugo off of Market Street. The buyer said he paid $70 for 15 bags of heroin, which law enforcement collected from him. Detectives searched Canty and found $70 on him.

Seven months later, deputies pulled Canty for an expired registration. During the stop, deputies saw what appeared to be drugs in plain sight in the center console under the radio. Deputies seized the substance and discovered it was 6.5 grams of crack cocaine.

They searched the vehicle and found 40 baggies used to package heroin, 80 red small plastic bags for cocaine, Oyxcodone tablets and a rubber stamp used to brand narcotics for sale. During the search the deputies seized  more than $345 from Canty’s shoe and an additional $40 from under the driver’s side floor mat.

In April of 2016, deputies responded to a disturbance call on Front Street. When they arrived, they saw Canty on the sidewalk, shouting expletives at people. He was arrested and searched at the jail, where a controlled substance was found on him.

In court on Tuesday, Canty pleaded guilty to Sell/Deliver Heroin, PWISD Cocaine, Possession of a Controlled Substance on Jail Premises.

Canty was indicted as Habitual Felon, which means he has at least three successive felony convictions.