The sheriff of Boston’s Suffolk County, Steven W. Tompkins, has been charged with extortion surrounding the purchase of an equity interest in a cannabis company, the DOJ explained.
“Mr. Tompkins is a sitting Sheriff, responsible for over 1,000 employees, who was elected by the good people of Suffolk County. Today, he is alleged to have extorted an executive from a cannabis company, using his official position as Sheriff to benefit himself. Elected officials, particularly those in law enforcement, are expected to be ethical, honest and law abiding – not self-serving. His alleged actions are an affront to the voters and taxpayers who elected him to his position, and the many dedicated and honest public servants at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. The people of Suffolk County deserve better,” U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a statement. “Public corruption remains a top priority for my administration and we will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone who uses their position of trust and power for their own gain.”
Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, Ted Docks, said that Tompkins “sought to portray himself as a man of the people – a principled public servant and reformer, devoted to the cause of justice.”
“The FBI took Sheriff Tompkins into custody today for allegedly extorting $50,000 from the owner of a national cannabis retailer seeking to do business in Boston,” Docks added. “We believe what the Sheriff saw as an easy way to make a quick buck on the sly is clear cut corruption under federal law.”
