BOSTON (State House News Service) — Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins will step away from his official duties while extortion charges against him play out in federal court and a deputy will assume control of the department, the governor and attorney general announced Wednesday morning.
The Democrat in the midst of a six-year term that runs through 2028 has faced questions about his ability to continue serving as sheriff while he faces charges that he used his official position to extort a marijuana company. Gov. Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Campbell said in a joint statement Wednesday that the role of sheriff will be filled in the interim by Special Sheriff Mark Lawhorne "consistent with state law." The governor's office said the personnel change came at the request of Healey and Campbell.
"The allegations against Sheriff Tompkins are serious. 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."
Campbell added without additional detail, "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."
The statement about Tompkins plans did not include any comment from Tompkins, or information about his compensation while his case plays out in court. It said he "has agreed to step away from his position until the federal case against him is resolved."
The governor's office said Tompkins is being placed on an unpaid leave, but that he also informed the state that he has a medical condition and intends to take medical leave through the state's Paid Family and Medical Leave program. If his application is approved, Tompkins would get 20 weeks of paid medical leave and then would revert to the unpaid leave if his court case is still pending, the governor's office said.
"Yesterday, Steve Tompkins took medical leave from his responsibilities as Sheriff of Suffolk County following the strong recommendation of his treating physician," Martin Weinberg, the attorney defending Tompkins in federal court, said in a statement Wednesday morning. "Sheriff Tompkins will use this time to meet the challenge resulting from a serious medical issue while he and I work to safeguard his freedom by preparing his defense to what we strongly contend is an unwarranted accusation."
Campbell's reference to the SJC may suggest that she and the governor were prepared to petition the state's highest court for Tompkins' suspension or removal.
When Gov. William Weld and Attorney General Scott Harshbarger sought to suspend Middlesex County Sheriff John McGonigle in 1994 as he faced corruption charges, the SJC declared that Weld had acted without authority in suspending an elected official and later ruled that a majority of its justices can remove an elected county sheriff if the court gets a complaint, including from the governor or attorney general.
Lawhorne has worked at the sheriff's office for about two years, first as director of the re-entry division and since February as assistant superintendent of the Suffolk House of Corrections. He previously worked for one year in community affairs at the Middlesex County sheriff's office and for eight years in water, sewer and highway roles for Somerville, according to his LinkedIn account. He also founded and ran Blacksmith Communication & Consulting from 2008 until 2023.
Written by Colin A. Young/SHNS