A federal jury in Boston has cleared Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins of two extortion charges. The case centered on a pre-IPO stock deal with a cannabis executive, but the acquittal does not erase a history of ethics violations.
The $50,000 Ascend Wellness stock gamble
The criminal case against Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins focused on a 2020 investment of $50,000 in Ascend Wellness Holdings. According to the report, federal prosecutors alleged that Tompkins used his official power to pressure Frank Perullo, a cannabis executive and longtime friend, into providing favorable pre-IPO stock terms that were not available to the general public .
The prosecution specifically highlighted a partnership between the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department and Ascend Wellness Holdings, which hepled inmate reentry graduates find employment at cannabis retail outlets. The report says prosecutors pointed to a specific phrase used by Steven W. Tompkins—"I got you Friend Street"—referring to a flagship store in Boston, as evidence that the Sheriff was leveraging his office for financial gain and later securing a risk-free refund when the stock value dropped.
Frank Perullo's immunity deal and the defense's counter-strike
The defense, led by attorney Martin Weinberg , successfully argued that the government's star witness, Frank Perullo, was unreliable. weinberg contended that Perullo's testimony was compromised by an immunity agreement with federal authorities, which the defense characterized as a "coercive hammer" used to shape the narrative against the Sheriff.
To further distance Steven W. Tompkins from the extortion claims, the defense emphasized the deep personal bonds between the men and called upon Andrea Cabral. Cabral, who is both a former Suffolk County Sheriff and an executive at Ascend Wellness Holdings, provided testimony that helped frame the stock deal as a product of friendship rather than a quid pro quo arrangement.
The $12,300 fine and the niece's $45,000 salary
While the federal jury found no criminal extortion, the record of Steven W. Tompkins remains marred by civil penalties. As reported, the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission has sanctioned the Sheriff multiple times, including a 2015 fine of $2,500 for attempting to have an opponent's campaign signs removed from local stores.
More recently, in 2023, Steven W. Tompkins agreed to pay a $12,300 civil fine for violating conflict-of-interest laws. The commission found that the Sheriff had created a public information officer role for his niece with a salary of roughly $45,000 a year, a position that included duties such as caring for the Sheriff's children during office hours. This history of nepotism and political maneuvering dates back to 2013, when Governor Deval Patrick first appointed him to the post as a political hire.
Meth trafficking and rape charges inside the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department
The legal victory for Steven W. Tompkins arrives as the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department faces a crisis of internal discipline. The report notes that in July 2025, one corrections officer was arrested for trafficking methamphetamine, while another was charged with the rape of an inmate during the same month.
These scandals, combined with the December death of an inmate following a fight with staff at the Home of Correction, have led critics to question the quality of leadership at the Nashua Street Jail and other facilities. While Steven W . Tompkins has signaled his intent to remain in office until his term expires in two years,there are lingering questions about whether Governor Maura Healey will apply political pressure for his resignation or if the State Ethics Commission will launch new probes into his conduct.
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