FARMINGTON — Two Franklin County men were indicted Wednesday on charges of buying heroin out of state and selling it in the Farmington area.

Mark D. Barrett, 59, of Farmington and Guy E. Stevens, 42, of Temple were each indicted on felony charges of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs-heroin on July 14, 2016, conspiracy to commit aggravated trafficking between June 30 and July 14, and illegal importation of scheduled drugs.

Barrett also was indicted on two counts of criminal forfeiture involving 20 firearms and his 2006 Honda Accord. According to the criminal forfeiture indictment related to the firearms, police found oxycodone at his residence.

The maximum penalty on a conviction of aggravated heroin trafficking is 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The men were arrested after police searched their homes and Barrett’s car. Barrett lived at the home of co-defendant Chris Crockett on Lucy Knowles Road.

Crockett was not indicted Wednesday.

Police intercepted Barrett’s vehicle around midnight July 14, 2016, on the Lucy Knowles Road, according to Farmington Police Chief Jack Peck. The men were returning from out of state with heroin they bought to sell here, Peck said.

Police found more than 38.6 grams of heroin with a street value of between $6,000 and $8,000 in Barrett’s vehicle, Peck said.

According to the indictment, Barrett was armed with a handgun when arrested, which elevated the trafficking charge to a Class A felony. Stevens’ trafficking charge was elevated because of the amount of heroin found: 6 grams or more or 270 individual bags, folds, packages, envelopes or containers of any kind containing heroin.

During a search of Barrett’s residence, police found hundreds of small, zippered plastic bags, typically used for packaging and selling illegal drugs, according to Peck.

Police seized 20 guns, multiple boxes of ammunition and Barrett’s car.

Detective Stephen Charles of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Darin Gilbert of the Farmington Police Department worked on the case.

C0-defendant Crockett was arrested Aug. 12, 2016, on felony charges of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, according to a complaint filed with a Farmington court.

Crockett initially told police he was unaware that Barrett was selling heroin from his home on Lucy Knowles Road, according to Detective Gilbert’s affidavit filed with the court on a warrant request.

Gilbert received search warrants for Barrett’s and Stevens’ cellphones. He found text messages between Barrett and Crockett consistent with drug trafficking, specifically heroin, according to Gilbert’s affidavit.

One text conversation indicated that Crockett knew the code for the gun safe owned by Barrett, where heroin and 18 guns were stored, according to the document.

Gilbert, who has been working with Charles on the case, also found conversations between Stevens and Crockett on Stevens’ phone that suggest Crockett was actively involved in Barrett and Stevens’ heroin operation, according to Gilbert’s affidavit.

Gilbert also believed Crockett was in control/possession of firearms. Crockett is prohibited from possessing or having access to firearms because of a felony conviction of eluding an officer in Franklin County Court on March 6, 2013.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net