Overview

• A federal grand jury indicted Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins on two counts of extortion under color of official right after the FBI arrested him in Florida on August 8, 2025.
• Court documents allege that he used a 2019 Positive Impact Plan partnership to coerce a cannabis company executive into wiring $50,000 for pre-IPO stock at roughly $1.73 per share.
• When the stock’s value dropped by May 2022, Tompkins allegedly demanded a full refund and received $50,000 through five checks disguised as “loan repayment” or “company expense” between May 2022 and July 2023.
• He is held in the Southern District of Florida awaiting an initial federal court appearance before being transferred to Boston for arraignment.
• If convicted, Tompkins faces up to 20 years in prison per count, three years of supervised release and fines of up to $250,000 each.