HARTFORD, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Hartford’s former police chief has now been charged with multiple felonies and one misdemeanor after allegedly admitting to stealing from the drug disposal box at the police department she was in charge of.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office announced on Wednesday, May 31 that 57-year-old that Tressa Beltran, who retired as the City of Hartford Chief of Police earlier this year, has been charged with nine separate counts, all relating to alleged conduct as police chief.
The charges, which include eight felony counts and one misdemeanor, were filed in the 7th District Court in Paw Paw.
While working as the City of Hartford’s chief law enforcement officer, the State alleges that Beltran sold controlled substances, stole controlled substances, used her influence to extort others to provide her with controlled substances, illegally possessed several different types of controlled substances, and committed embezzlement.
Beltran is charged with:
- One count of delivery or possession with the intent to deliver less than 50 grams of a controlled substance;
- One count of using a computer to commit a crime;
- One count of extortion;
- One count of embezzlement by a public official over $50 in value;
- One count of misconduct in office;
- One count of larceny in a building;
- One count of possession of less than 25 grams of a controlled substance;
- One count of possession of a controlled substance/analogues;
- One count of possession of a Schedule 5 controlled substance.
Detectives from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office conducted an extensive investigation into Chief Tressa Beltran after receiving numerous tips about her actions.
The investigation concluded with the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office and the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit discovering evidence that Beltran had used her position as Chief of Police to commit numerous offenses.
She was placed on paid leave on June 30th of last year and had been with the Hartford Police Department as an officer since 1989. Beltran became Police Chief in 2016.
Her next court date is a probable cause conference which is scheduled for June 14, 2023.
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