A sheriff in the Boston area could face two decades behind bars after beingindicted on federal chargeson Aug. 7 for allegedly extorting a local cannabis dispensary over several years. Former Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins, 67, allegedly threatened to revoke a local dispensary's Boston business license if they did not help him obtain $50,000 of discounted stock in the business before it was publicly traded, according to a press release from theU.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts. The people of Suffolk County deserve better," said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. "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." The federal extortion charge against the Sheriff carries "a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, according to the US Department of Justice. Officials outlined Sheriff Tompkins' alleged scheme in court records obtained by USA TODAY. The Sheriff is accused of extorting $50,000 worth of discounted stock after learning that the company planned to go public. Massachusetts law requires cannabis dispensaries to participate in a rehabilitation program to operate, according to the court documents. This includes hiring former inmates and working with local authorities, such as the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, which makes the referrals. "It is alleged that Tompkins pressured Individual A for stock, reminding Individual A that Tompkins had assisted Company A in its licensing efforts in Boston," the records disclosed. Ted E. Docks, a Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, described Tompkins' actions as "beyond disappointing." He added, "We believe what the Sheriff saw as an easy way to make a quick buck on the sly is clear-cut corruption under federal law." USA TODAY was not able to immediately find an attorney representing Tompkins at this time. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Boston area sheriff facing federal charges for extorting company
