Special to the Journal
Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins is stepping away from his position until the case involving federal extortion charges against him is resolved, Governor Maura Healey stated last week. Tompkins, who has served as Suffolk County Sheriff since 2013, was arraigned on two charges alleging that he extorted a Boston cannabis company executive so that he could own stock in the company. Tompkins pleaded not guilty to the charges. Until the case is resolved, Tompkins’ position will be filled by the Special Sheriff, Mark Lawhorne. “The allegations against Sheriff Tompkins are serious,” said Governor Healey. “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. It is a full-time job that demands full time attention.” Healey said 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. “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,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. Tompkins’s attorney, Mark Weinberg, previously stated that he expects the sheriff will ultimately be found not guilty, telling reporters that they believe in the system and that the charges were not going to be tried in the media.
