Former Michigan police chief sentenced to prison for drug theft

A former Michigan police chief who admitted to stealing drugs from his department was sentenced Monday to more than three years in prison.

Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Brickley said Tressa Beltran tarnished the image of law enforcement.

“The repercussions of what you did will last long afterward,” the judge said.

Beltran resigned as police chief in Hartford, in southwest Michigan, in 2023, six months after investigators raided the department's offices. She admitted to stealing prescription drugs, including hydrocodone, from a trash can.

Beltran pleaded guilty in April to drug possession and using a computer to commit a crime. She was ordered to permanently surrender her license from the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, which prohibits her from working as a police officer in Michigan.

“I'm trying to get better and I think putting me in jail is not the answer. But I'm just sorry,” Beltran told the court.

She will be eligible for parole after approximately 3 1/2 years in prison.

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that no one is above the law,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “I commend the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office for its diligent investigative efforts that led to Ms. Beltran's removal as police chief, ensuring that she could no longer endanger health My office will continue to uphold public integrity and hold accountable those who abuse their positions of power.