More bad headlines for our state’s beleaguered sheriffs.
Late last week, the former assistant superintendent of the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, Thomas Brady, pleaded guilty to (1) use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion and (2) witness tampering.
According to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office,
From 2021 through May 2023, Brady served as the Assistant Deputy Superintendent (ADS) for Jail Operations at NCSO. Brady was promoted in May 2023 to Assistant Superintendent. In October and November 2022, Brady utilized his official position and authority as an ADS to order an NCSO maintenance officer (Maintenance Officer A), who was subordinate in position to Brady, to perform home repairs at his residence during and after work hours. Because of Brady’s official position and authority as an ADS at NCSO, Maintenance Officer A feared that if he refused Brady’s request to help fix the heating system, Brady would use his official position and authority to negatively affect Maintenance Officer A’s job position at NCSO—including the possibility of causing Maintenance Officer A to lose his preferred shift schedule, position and/or employment at NCSO.  Maintenance Officer A complied with the order, and on or about Oct. 6, 2022, drove to Brady’s residence to troubleshoot his heating system during NCSO work hours. After Brady had subsequent problems with his heating system and contacted Maintenance Officer A to replace the circulator pump.
Things went from bad to worse when Brady allegedly forged an exonerating letter from another maintenance worker at the jail. The bogus letter was sent to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission (SEC) which was investigating Brady’s conduct.
Again, citing the U.S. District Attorney’s Office,
On or about June 16, 2023, another maintenance officer at NCSO, Maintenance Officer C, reported Brady to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission (SEC) for Brady having subordinate NCSO employees perform work at his private residence. The SEC subsequently initiated an investigation into Brady, interviewing Maintenance Officer A and Maintenance Officer B. At some point prior to Oct. 5, 2023, Brady learned about the SEC investigation and Maintenance Officer B’s involvement. On or about Oct. 5, 2023, Brady mailed a letter to the SEC, falsely signing the letter from Maintenance Officer C. The letter to the SEC was handwritten and divulged information about a confidential, internal NCSO investigation into Maintenance Officer B. Brady listed himself as a witness to the investigation in the letter.  Federal investigators examined the postage stamp on the envelope to the SEC and confirmed that a fingerprint found underneath the stamp belonged to Brady. In addition, the flap and corresponding region of the envelope to the SEC were examined and it was confirmed that male DNA obtained from envelope belonged to the Brady.
Brady faces up to 20 years in federal prison and fines up to $500,000.