SALISBURY — A Rowan County man with an extensive criminal history was charged Friday on multiple drug violations, Rowan Sheriff’s officials said.

Mark Albert Blassingame, 47, was traveling in a vehicle on Interstate 85 in China Grove on Friday when he was arrested.

Blassingame was arrested by members of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office’s Aggressive Criminal Enforcement (ACE) Unit and the Patrol Division. Blassingame was charged with 10 counts related to the sale and possession of heroin and Xanax.

In September, the Rowan Sheriff’s Office, in response to complaints about Blassingame dealing in drugs, began purchasing heroin and Xanax from him at various locations in Salisbury. During the course of the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and the Salisbury Police Department. At the time of Blassingame’s arrest, investigators discovered a small amount of marijuana in his personal belongings.

The dates of offenses and charges are as follows:

• Felony selling heroin, possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin (Sept. 8, 2015)

• Selling Xanax, possession with intent to sell and deliver Xanax, felony selling heroin, possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin (Sept. 17, 2015)

• Felony selling heroin, possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin (Feb. 9, 2015)

• Trafficking by possession four grams or more but less than 14 grams of heroin, trafficking by selling four grams or more but less than 14 grams of heroin (March 4, 2016)

• Possession of marijuana (May 13, 2016)

Blassingame has at least seven felony drug convictions in Iredell and Rowan counties since 2010. In July 2010, in Rowan County Superior Court, Blassingame was convicted of four felony counts of possession with intent to sell Schedule I, II, and VI controlled substances. In August 2010, in Iredell County Superior court, Blassingame was convicted of trafficking Schedule II. In August 2014, in Rowan County Superior Court, he was convicted of possession with intent to sell Schedule I and possess Schedule I.

At present, Blassingame is in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $200,000 secured bond.