Former Michigan police chief convicted of drug trafficking

HARTFORD, Mich. – The former Hartford police chief was convicted of drug trafficking.

Tressa Beltran was sentenced to 40 months to 20 years in prison on Monday, June 24. She pleaded guilty in April to delivery or possession of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and use of a computer to commit a crime.

In June 2023, she was initially charged with eight felonies and one misdemeanor, all related to crimes she allegedly committed during her time as police chief. Beltran was accused of selling and stealing controlled substances, using her influence to extort others, supplying controlled substances to her, illegally possessing several different types of controlled substances, and embezzlement.

The investigation was launched after detectives from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office received information that Beltran was suspected of stealing and selling prescription drugs.

According to authorities, Beltran admitted under oath in April that she possessed controlled substances with the intent to sell them and that she used a computer to arrange the delivery of controlled substances while working as Hartford police chief.

Beltran was forced to surrender her license from the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and will never be able to work as a police officer in the state again.