A former Philadelphia man will be sentenced later this year after pleading guilty in federal court to charges stemming from a 2016 drug investigation in Butler.

Brandon Morris, 34, pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh.

In connection with the plea before U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon, prosecutors advised that in June 2016, state police arranged a confidential informant to buy crack cocaine and heroin from Mark A. Carter, 33, formerly of Butler.

Authorities said Carter tabbed Morris to meet the informant. In exchange for $2,000 in pre-recorded funds, Morris gave the informant three bricks of heroin and one-half-of-an-ounce of crack. A brick is a bundle of up to 50 single-dose glassine bags of heroin.

The controlled drug buy led police to obtain a search warrant, which was executed at a home on East Brady Street where Morris and Carter were both staying.

The search, prosecutors said, turned up a plastic bag containing 39.57 grams of raw heroin; a plastic bag with 119.36 grams of crack; individual packets of heroin; $7,612.00 in currency, including pre-recorded funds; a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition; and assorted drug paraphernalia. Because of his criminal record, Morris is prohibited from possessing any firearms.

A month later, according to authorities, police again charged Carter after he was found inside a Butler Township hotel room with a large amount of drugs.

Troopers subsequently got a search warrant in July 2016 for the room, where they seized a bag containing 80.58 grams of crack, 38.83 grams of heroin, and drug paraphernalia, prosecutors said.

Before federal authorities assumed control of the local cases, state police charged Carter and Morris with felony drug trafficking and other crimes. Carter pleaded guilty Feb. 6 before Bissoon to three counts of violating federal narcotics laws. He is to be sentenced June 23. Morris' sentencing is scheduled for July 15.

According to federal law, each defendant faces a maximum 40 years in prison and a fine of $5 million. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Carter remains in federal prison and Morris is free on bond pending sentencing.