Ex-Michigan police chief sentenced to 20 years in prison for stealing drugs

A former Michigan police chief accused of stealing narcotics from her department and planning to sell them was sentenced Monday to 40 months to 20 years in prison.

Tressa Beltran was chief of the Hartford Police Department when she stole the drugs in 2022.

Beltran retired in January 2023 and was indicted in May 2023.

“Today’s verdict sent a clear message that no one is above the law,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, whose office filed the charges, said in a written statement. “I commend the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office for their diligent investigative efforts that led to the removal of Ms. Beltran from her position as Chief of Police, ensuring she could no longer endanger public health. My office will continue to pursue public integrity and hold accountable those who abuse their positions of power.”

In April, Beltran admitted to having medication with the intent to deliver it and said she used a computer to arrange the delivery. She pleaded guilty to one count of delivery or possession with intent to deliver less than 50 grams of a controlled substance and use of a computer to commit a crime.

Beltran is also prohibited from serving in law enforcement again.

Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office detectives began investigating Beltran after receiving several tips in the summer of 2022 that she was stealing drugs from a dumpster at the police station. As part of the investigation, detectives marked two bottles of hydrocodone, an addictive painkiller, in the medicine box and discovered that some of the pills were missing.