Surprise, Surprise: Anti-ICE Sheriff Arrested for Alleged Weed Company Extortion
Steven Tompkins, the sheriff of Suffolk County, Massachusetts, allegedly extorted a cannabis company in order to receive favorable investment opportunity access.
Tompkins, 67, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of “Extortion Under Color of Official Right,” according to a Friday news release from the U.S. Justice Department.
When the cannabis firm, identified only as Company A in the Justice Department release, sought to raise capital for an initial public offering, Tompkins allegedly pressured a company executive to obtain stock access.
The executive reportedly feared that Tompkins would use his role as a police officer to threaten the business and its operations.
Tompkins allegedly reminded the company that he had helped with licensing procedures in Boston.
The sheriff invested $50,000 in the company before it went public in 2021, which appreciated to $138,403 shortly afterward.
But when the value of the stock plummeted in 2022, Tompkins allegedly demanded a refund.
The executive sent him five checks over the period of several months, totaling $50,000 to return his investment.
“The charges of extortion under color of official right each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000,” the Justice Department said.
Beyond the current criminal proceedings, Tompkins has been known to make headlines and to stir public controversy.
In October 2024, he nixed a contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house detained illegal aliens, according to The Blaze.
The conservative outlet noted that Tompkins joined a kneeling protest in 2020 to condemn the death of George Floyd.
Justice Department officials said in the release that the alleged crimes committed by Tompkins with respect to the cannabis company erode community trust in law enforcement.
“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,” U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement.
“Elected officials, particularly those in law enforcement, are expected to be ethical, honest and law abiding — not self-serving,” she continued.
“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.”
Foley added, “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.”
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