Former Hartford police chief heading to trial for drug charges

By Megan Viecelli

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    LANSING, Michigan (WXMI) — The former police chief for the city of Hartford was in court Wednesday and bound over for trial on all charges.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday that Tressa Beltran will head to trial for alleged drug dealing activities while serving as police chief.

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 while working as the city’s chief law enforcement officer, according to the state.

Beltran is charged with one count of each of the following:

Delivery or possession with the intent to deliver less than 50 grams of a controlled substance Using a computer to commit a crime Extortion Embezzlement by a public official over $50 in value Misconduct in office Larceny in a building Possession of less than 25 grams of a controlled substance Possession of a controlled substance/analogs Possession of a Schedule 5 controlled substance “No one in this state is above the law, and we expect law enforcement officers to abide by the oath they’ve taken when they serve the public and to fulfill their duties with integrity,” Nessel said. “I am thankful for the great work of my department’s Public Integrity Unit and the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office for their work pursuing this very serious case and we look forward to a swift and just resolution of this matter.” Nessel says detectives from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office conducted an extensive investigation into Chief Beltran after getting numerous tips about her actions.

Beltran will be back in court on August 28.

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