A Mocksville man told a Superior Court judge last week that no matter how stopped up his nose gets, he will never buy Sudafed again.

Tony Ray Anthony, 45, of US 601 South, appeared before Judge Mark Klass on six felony charges of possession/distribution of a methamphetamine precursor (two counts), possession with intent to sell/deliver methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine, possession/distribution of a methamphetamine precursor, and conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The charges stem from a Dec. 30, 2015 Davidson County drug bust of a meth lab.

Assistant DA John Bandle told Klass that Anthony was one of the mid-level people in the two-county drug ring.

The “Smurfs,” as they are known “on the street,” Bandle said, were the lowest on the level, the ones who bought products such as Sudafed that are used to make meth. Anthony and others on his level delivered the products to the highest level people, the cooks. Anthony was befriended by an undercover officer and he ended up selling meth to that officer.

Anthony’s attorney, Michael Parker, told Klass that Anthony had never been in trouble like this before and only had some misdemeanor charges on his record. The divorced father of two teenagers, Anthony “had it rough growing up. He had to drop out of school to take care of his family. Detective Holcomb was nice to him and befriended him, and he’d had nothing like that in his life before. He just basically went head over heels,” said Parker. “He couldn’t get loose from the drugs, but he just seems to be a good fellow. To quote my mother again in open court, ‘You are known by the company you keep.’”

Anthony said he had never tried meth and didn’t want to, until he finally gave in and used it at a party, and that was it. He told Klass he is a “great guy with a heart of gold.” He couldn’t afford to buy the meth so he sold the precursor in exchange for the drug for personal use.

Anthony pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and the other ones were dismissed per that plea. He was sentenced to 50 to 72 months in prison, with credit for the 140 days he served awaiting trial. He must have a substance abuse assessment and treatment, and once that is complete, work release is recommended. He was ordered to pay an attorney fee of $1,452.50 and $144.80 in copy fees.

Appearing in court the next day was a former Mocksville resident who was arrested during the same bust.

Chantz Lee Grannaman, 27, whose last address was listed as Country Club Road in Winston-Salem, has been in jail five months, on charges of seven counts possession/distribution of meth precursor and one count conspiracy to manufacture meth.

Bandle told Klass that Grannaman was driving to the cook’s home as the drug bust was being conducted. He was in court to ask for a reduction on his $65,000 bond.

His attorney, Chad Freeman, said, “This is a very complex case and there’s only so much me and Mr. Grannaman can do to prepare across a steel table. We really need him to get out so he can help us in his defense.”

Bandle argued against the reduction, saying Grannaman has five prior convictions, including assault on a government official and was on probation at the time of his arrest. Grannaman, he concluded, is a “flight risk and danger to our community.”

Klass agreed with Bandle and denied the reduction. Grannaman’s next court date is June 13.