DOUGLAS COUNTY — A Colorado Springs man has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for trafficking meth and fentanyl, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's (DA) Office.
According to the DA's Office, 36-year-old Michael D. Hemersbach was pulled over by the Colorado State Patrol just after 10 p.m. on July 13, 2023 for weaving on southbound I-25 near the Happy Canyon Road exit in Castle Rock.
During the stop, the trooper smelled marijuana in the car and noticed Hemersbach's eyes appeared to be blood shot and watery. According to the DA's Office, the trooper's report also mentioned his speech was slow.
A K-9 with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office gave a positive alert to drugs being in the car. After searching the car, troopers found the following:
- large amounts of cash
- several cell phones
- small bags of meth
- small bags of cocaine
- small bags of ketamine
Authorities also found the following stashed in a backpack:
- three pounds of meth
- almost a pound of fentanyl pills
- items used for distribution
According to the DA's Office, Hemersbach pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- possession with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance (fentanyl)
- possession with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- possession with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance (cocaine)
- driving while ability impaired (3+ priors)
“In addition to the vigilance of the Colorado State Patrol for spotting an impaired driver and taking him off the streets before he could injure someone, their efforts also helped us take another distributor of poison off the streets,” said Deputy District Attorney Sherri Giger. “This case highlights the fact that there is no such thing as a routine traffic stop. This impaired driving investigation likely saved many lives.”
Court records show this is Hemersbach's third conviction for drug distribution.
“A dangerous felon peddling poison will be behind bars for the foreseeable future thanks to the hard work of my team in partnership with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado State Patrol,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “While I-25 remains a gateway route for drug traffickers, my team will aggressively prosecute offenders who engage in this criminal enterprise.”
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