Federal Prosecutors Allege Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins Leveraged His Position for Personal Gain in Cannabis Company Scheme
Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins has been arrested in Florida and indicted on two counts of ‘Extortion Under Color of Official Right,’ according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He is in custody in the Southern District of Florida.
The charges stem from allegations that Tompkins used his position to extort a cannabis company executive, demanding stock in the business and later demanding his money back when his investment soured.
The indictment alleges that in 2019, an unnamed cannabis company applied for a retail dispensary license in Boston. As part of the application process, the company needed a positive impact plan (PIP), which it fulfilled through a partnership with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. The partnership involved a re-entry program to employ formerly incarcerated individuals…