A man accused of selling heroin to confidential informants has pleaded guilty to seven felonies and one misdemeanor.

Ted Pierce pleaded guilty on Monday to four Class Afelony charges of delivery of heroin, one Class Afelony charge of possession of heroin with intent to deliver, one Class Cfelony charge of possession of hydromorphone, one Class C felony charge of tampering with evidence and one Class Amisdemeanor charge of ingesting a controlled substance.

South Central District Judge Bruce Romanick will sentence Pierce at a later date, following a presentence investigation and an addiction evaluation. Pierce faces up to 111 years in prison, though his attorney, Kent Morrow, told Romanick prosecutors have indicated they will recommend a sentence of around 12 years in prison.

Pierce admitted on Monday to delivering heroin to a confidential informant on Sept. 26, Oct. 3, Oct. 23 and Oct. 28. Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Cynthia Feland, sitting in for Assistant State's Attorney Julie Lawyer, said 25 bindles of heroin were found in a home Pierce was living in during a search warrant on Oct. 28. Pierce also had six hydromorphone tablets in his possession when he was arrested, she said.

Romanick questioned how Pierce tampered with evidence.

"That was me eating it," Pierce said.

"Creative," the judge replied.

Feland said Pierce delivered 30 bindles and 13 latex balloons of heroin on the four dates.

Pierce also was charged with ingestion of a controlled substance for swallowing the heroin. He spent several days in the hospital before being brought to jail on the charges.

Pierce was one of four people charged in connection to the alleged heroin distribution operation who lived in a home on the 300 block of North 12th Street.

Nathan Vanous pleaded not guilty on Monday to one count of Class Afelony delivery of heroin and one count of Class Cfelony possession of drug paraphernalia. He is accused of delivering heroin on Sept. 23.

It is alleged to be his second offense of delivery of a controlled substance, so the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. Vanous also is accused of possessing latex balloons for the packaging of heroin.

Angela Blumhagen pleaded not guilty on Dec. 8 to Class Cfelony possession of drug paraphernalia. She is accused of possessing latex balloons for heroin packaging. She is slated to appear in court again on Jan. 5.

Also charged in connection with the alleged distribution ring was Kevin Tormey. Tormey committed suicide in his jail cell on Oct. 30, just two days after he and the others were arrested. His death remains under investigation.

Tormey had been charged with Class Cfelony possession of drug paraphernalia and Class Amisdemeanor ingestion of a controlled substance. He had been accused of possessing latex balloons for heroin packaging and of swallowing heroin.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)