Former southwest Michigan police chief sentenced to prison for drug trafficking

VAN BUREN COUNTY, MI — A former Hartford police chief was sentenced Monday to a minimum of three years and four months and a maximum of 20 years in prison on drug charges stemming from an incident in 2017.

Tressa Beltran pleaded guilty Thursday, April 18, to possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and use of a computer to commit a crime.

The computer charge stemmed from her arranging drug deliveries online, officials previously said.

Charges of extortion, embezzlement, theft from a building and possession of controlled substances were all dismissed following a plea agreement.

The former chief was sentenced by Van Buren County Circuit Judge Kathleen Brickley on Monday, June 24.

In addition to the prison sentence, Beltran was also ordered to pay $326 in court costs.

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Beltran also permanently surrendered her MCOLES law enforcement license, barring her from ever working as a police officer in Michigan again, officials said previously.

She retired from her position as police chief after the allegations. Mike Prince is Hartford's current police chief, according to the city's website.

The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office investigated Beltran after receiving information from community members, the attorney general's office previously said.

“I am grateful for the collaborative investigation between the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office and my department that allowed us to remove a rampant criminal from her position as police chief,” Nessel said in a previous statement. “My office will continue to seek accountability and public integrity when people in positions of power and public trust abuse their office and harm their communities. »

Beltran also faces a lawsuit from a parolee who accused her of demanding painkillers from him under threat that she would make his life “hell.”

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