SPENCER — Two Spencer men face heroin charges after a four-month investigation during which law officers say they purchased the drug from them at a Fifth Street residence.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and the Spencer Police Department executed a search warrant Tuesday at 605 Fifth St. in Spencer. They agencies had conducted a four-month narcotics investigation into sales of heroin at the residence.

Investigators said they bought heroin from Bernard Franklin Wilkes Jr., 32.

The Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team executed the search warrant. About 4.1 grams of heroin was found in a vehicle used by Wilkes, which was parked outside the residence.

Trent Barry Hoover, 44, was found in possession of about 2 grams of heroin, authorities said.

Hoover was charged with felonious possession of heroin and placed under a $5,000 secured bond.

Wilkes was charged with one count of Level I trafficking in heroin; three counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver heroin; and one count of selling heroin. Wilkes was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $500,000 secured bond.

According to sheriff’s Detective Sgt. K.L. Black, there a number of complaints had been made about the house since at least June. A month later, undercover officers were buying drugs from the suspects, Black said. Each of the buys was for a few grams of heroin, Black said.

Officers also conducted undercover drug buys from Hoover and Wilkes in July, August and September, authorities said. In October, detectives received information that an October overdose death in Spencer was linked to drugs bought at the house.

Black said while the home was under surveillance, investigators noted that nearly a dozen cars showed up at the home during a single hour while the suspects were not at home. The people in those vehicles were there to purchase drugs, investigators said.

Wilkes has previous felony convictions for solicitation to commit assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and attempted larceny.

Hoover has a previous conviction for felonious breaking and entering.

Black said the town of Spencer will see a difference in the number of drug sales and Rowan County will see a decrease in the number of property crimes that investigators attributed to the two men.