October 4, 2019 4:00 a.m.
A man who arrived in Roseburg earlier this year is headed to prison for 11 years after being convicted of multiple drug charges.
On June 7th, the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team arrested 43-year old Walter Hernandez during a traffic stop in the 2500 block of Northeast Stephens in Roseburg. Roseburg Police K-9 Trapper was deployed and alerted on the vehicle, indicating the presence of illegal controlled substances. A release from the District Attorney’s Office said detectives searched the vehicle and found a backpack in the trunk belonging to Hernandez. It contained approximately 578 grams, or 1.3 pounds, of heroin valued at over $93,000. There was also 2,092 grams, or 4.6 pounds of methamphetamine valued at over $63,000.
On September 6th after a two-day trial, a Douglas County jury found Hernandez guilty of unlawful delivery of both meth and heroin, and unlawful possession of both drugs as well.
On Wednesday Hernandez was sentenced by Judge Anne Marie Simmons. The DA’s release said the court found the degree of harm attributed to these offenses was significantly greater than is typical for such an offense based on the large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin being delivered by Hernandez. Additionally, at the time Hernandez committed these crimes, he was wanted by Marion County on several open cases that included charges for delivery of methamphetamine and heroin, conspiracy to commit delivery of methamphetamine, and delivery of both drugs within 1,000 feet of a school. The release said due to this and his criminal history, the court found that Hernandez had demonstrated a disregard for any laws and the inability to be deterred from committing new crimes.
Hernandez was sentenced to 132 months in prison for each delivery conviction with 36 months of post-prison supervision and 30 days in prison for each possession conviction with 24 months of post-prison supervision. All prison time will be served concurrently according to Deputy District Attorney Allison Eichmann.