County Sheriff Charged With Extortion Over Cannabis Stock Deal

(LibertySociety.com) – A sitting sheriff allegedly turned a reentry jobs partnership into leverage for pre-IPO stock, and then demanded his money back when the bet soured.

Story Snapshot

• Federal grand jury indicts Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins on two counts of extortion under color of official right.
• Prosecutors say he secured access to $50,000 in pre-IPO cannabis shares, then obtained a refund through five checks when the stock fell.
• The alleged leverage centered on a workforce referral partnership tied to Boston cannabis licensing.
• Arrest in Florida, transfer to Boston pending; DOJ cites up to 20 years per count.

How a Reentry Partnership Became Alleged Leverage

Prosecutors say the relationship began like many civic-minded initiatives: a cannabis retailer’s Boston licensing effort included a partnership with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department to screen and refer reentry program graduates for jobs. The indictment alleges Sheriff Steven Tompkins later reminded a company executive of past help and the firm’s ongoing need for his support while seeking a pre-IPO allocation worth $50,000. The executive allegedly feared harm to business operations if they refused the request.

The charge, extortion under color of official right, focuses on whether a public official obtained property not due to him by virtue of office, without requiring an explicit threat. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says a grand jury returned two counts and frames the case within its public corruption priorities. FBI Boston’s special agent in charge labeled the alleged conduct “clear cut corruption under federal law,” while acknowledging the case remains at the indictment stage.

The Money Trail: Pre-IPO Access, Post-IPO Refund

Court filings summarized by major outlets say Tompkins bought roughly 14,417 shares around November 2020 at about $1.73 per share, $50,000, before the company’s public listing. When the IPO hit in 2021, the stake briefly looked like a win on paper, with reports estimating value around $138,000 shortly after listing. When the share price later fell below the initial investment in 2022, prosecutors say Tompkins demanded a refund.

The refund, according to the indictment narrative recounted in local coverage, arrived via five checks totaling $50,000 between May 2022 and July 2023. The Department of Justice emphasizes that the payments are central to the extortion theory: personal financial benefit induced by the misuse of official position. The identity of the company remains sealed in filings, with the executive referenced only as an unnamed individual.

Arrest, Charges, and What Comes Next

Agents arrested Tompkins in Florida after the indictment was unsealed, and he made an initial appearance there with transfer to Boston federal court pending. The U.S. Attorney’s Office lists two counts of extortion under color of official right, each carrying up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000. Prosecutors and the FBI underscored the expectation that law enforcement officials uphold public trust.

Boston’s mayor called the allegations troubling and reiterated high standards for public officials. Reporters note that prosecutors declined interviews and that defense counsel was not listed in early documents. The Sheriff’s Department now faces an operational and reputational stress test, with the case in early stages and no adjudication of guilt. The firm allegedly extorted may still field investor and regulatory questions despite its role as the purported victim.

Why This Case Resonates Beyond One Sheriff’s Office

Public-private partnerships designed to boost reentry hiring and satisfy licensing equity criteria can concentrate soft power in officials’ hands. Prosecutors allege that power was exploited to gain private investment access and later a risk-free outcome when the market turned. From a common-sense, conservative perspective, transparent walls between public duty and private gain protect both taxpayers and the vulnerable programs they fund. The deterrent message from DOJ is clear: the badge is not a side hustle.

Cannabis licensing ecosystems will likely tighten ethics policies around workforce pipelines, with companies formalizing no-go zones for anything resembling preferential financial treatment of officials. Municipalities may firewall reentry referrals from discretionary approvals to remove leverage points. However the court resolves this case, the alleged fact pattern signals risk for any regulated industry that intertwines social-impact commitments with local gatekeepers, especially when those gatekeepers hold arrest powers and public purse strings.

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