BOSTON — A Massachusetts sheriff who was arrested by the FBI in Florida on extortion charges earlier this month has agreed to “step away” from his position, Gov. Maura Healey announced Wednesday.
Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins will remain off the job until the federal case against him is resolved, according to Healey.
“The allegations against Sheriff Tompkins are serious. The Suffolk County Sheriff is responsible for managing more than a thousand employees, hundreds of inmates, and programs that are essential to public safety and rehabilitation,” Healey said in a statement. “It is a full-time job that demands full-time attention. The people of Massachusetts need to be able to trust in the integrity of the criminal justice system and that their elected officials are fully engaged in the work of serving the public.”
Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell added, “This is the right step for the Sheriff’s Office and the public as a whole, as it avoids prolonged proceedings before the Supreme Judicial Court.”
Tompkins, 67, was arraigned in federal court in Boston after he was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of extortion under color of official right.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley has alleged that Tompkins extorted an executive from an unnamed cannabis company in Boston by using his position of power to obtain a pre-IPO interest in the company’s stock.
25 Investigates found details within the indictment and public records strongly suggest the company was Ascend-Mass LLC, a prominent player in the Massachusetts marijuana industry.
Tompkins has also resigned from the Roxbury Community College Board of Trustees.
Healey said Special Sheriff Mark Lawhorne will fill Tompkins’ role.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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