Former Norfolk County Sheriff's Official Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges

BOSTON, MA — A former Norfolk County Sheriff's Office official pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to charges stemming from the misuse of his position and an attempt to interfere with an investigation, the United States District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

Thomas Brady, 54, of Norwood, pleaded guilty to one count of witness tampering and one count of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion on Monday, June 1. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled Brady's sentencing for Monday, Sept. 28.

Federal prosecutors said Brady served as Assistant Deputy Superintendent for Jail Operations at the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office from 2021 through May 2023 before being promoted to Assistant Superintendent. In October and November 2022, Brady used his position to direct a subordinate maintenance officer to perform repairs on the heating system at his private residence.

According to court documents, the maintenance officer complied because he feared refusing the request could negatively affect his employment, work schedule or position within the sheriff's office. The officer traveled to Brady's residence during work hours to troubleshoot the heating system and later returned, along with another maintenance officer, to replace a circulator pump.

The case came to light in June 2023 when another maintenance officer reported Brady's conduct to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission, which launched an investigation and interviewed employees involved in the repairs.

Prosecutors said Brady later learned of the investigation and, in October 2023, mailed a letter to the Ethics Commission that was falsely signed in another employee's name. The letter allegedly disclosed information about a confidential internal investigation involving one of the maintenance officers.

Federal investigators linked Brady to the letter through fingerprint and DNA evidence recovered from the envelope.

The witness tampering charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.