Michael Joseph Ortiz, 33, of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced to a minimum of nearly 13 years in prison for charges arising out of a crime spree in the City of Charlevoix on May 7, 2021.

The Charlevoix County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a confidential informant who had been in contact with Ortiz who said that Ortiz brings large quantities of drugs from Kentucky to sell in Charlevoix County.

Officers responded by surveilling Ortiz who drove a car with a stolen license plate and police attempted to make a traffic stop near Family Fare in Charlevoix. Ortiz refused to stop and and drove at a high rate in downtown Charlevoix, attempting to elude officers until he crashed into a tree at the intersection of Park and State Streets.

In the vehicle, police located quantities of methamphetmine, fentanyl, adderall, oxycodone hydrochloride as well as a handgun. At sentencing, Ortiz admitted that he was under the influence of drugs at the time.

“This was a dangerous situation where members of the public were put at risk by this defendant’s actions,” Charlevoix County Prosecuting Attorney Allen Telgenhof said. “This is another example of cases where drugs are not a victimless crime.”

Ortiz pleaded guilty on October 15 to possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver and being in possession of a firearm during the course of a felony.

He was sentenced to serve 130 months to 30 years on the drug charges with the sentences to be served concurrently and 24 months on the weapons charge to be served consecutively to the drug charges.

Ortiz was previously convicted of 7 prior felonies and 13 misdemeanors and received seven prior jail sentences and three prior prison sentences.