Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins of Suffolk County, Massachusetts, has been arrested by the FBI on two federal counts of extortion under color of official right. A prominent Democrat whose jurisdiction includes Boston, Tompkins was indicted for allegedly abusing his position to seek personal financial gain. The charges stem from a 2019 partnership with a Boston cannabis company seeking a state license for recreational marijuana sales. The company needed to meet social equity requirements, including hiring former inmates, and partnered with Tompkins’s office for support.

Tompkins initially endorsed the business in a letter to the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. However, prosecutors allege he later pressured an executive to give him equity in the company, implying his continued support was conditional on personal benefit. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley condemned the alleged conduct as a betrayal of public trust, emphasizing that elected officials must act with integrity. She reaffirmed her office’s commitment to prosecuting public corruption and holding law enforcement leaders accountable for abusing their power.