Brickbat: Up in Smoke

Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Sheriff Steven Tompkins has been indicted for allegedly extorting a Boston cannabis company. According to a federal indictment, Tompkins pressured an employee to sell him $50,000 worth of company stock before its initial public offering—citing, as justification, his help with the company's "Boston licensing efforts" and that they "would continue to need Tompkins's help for license renewals." When the value of his investment later dropped, Tompkins allegedly demanded a refund of the full $50,000; prosecutors say he was reimbursed at company expense, disguised as a loan repayment. Tompkins, who has been sheriff since 2013, faces as many as 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine if convicted.