A former Virginia jail official is facing federal charges for allegedly using his position to force employees to repair his home for free.
Thomas Brady, 53, the former Deputy Superintendent for Jail Operations at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested Wednesday and charged with four counts of extortion and three counts of using interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion.
According to charging documents, Brady allegedly ran the scheme between 2021 and May 2023, coercing employees to carry out maintenance work at his home during and after work hours.
One employee was reportedly ordered to install a showerhead and replace a water heater.
Another was tasked with repairing the home’s heating system instead of reporting to work.
A third employee replaced a hot water circulator pump – twice, according to the US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts.
All three employees feared retaliation or job-related consequences, including losing their preferred schedule or position, if they refused Brady’s demands, NBC Boston reported.
In one instance, an employee told their Deputy Superintendent they were unavailable for work.
The next morning however, instead of reporting to the Sheriff’s Office, the employee allegedly went to Brady’s home to begin work on the water heater.
That day, the employee reportedly disconnected the existing water heater, loaded it into their truck, and drove Brady and the old unit to Home Depot.
Brady allegedly purchased a new 50-gallon water heater, which the employee then transported back to the residence, installed, and afterward went to the office to finish their shift, according to official documents.
Prosecutors also cited a text message from the employee to another staff member, warning them that Brady was looking for them.
Mike Ramponi, a licensed plumber who worked for the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Department before retiring last year, told NBC Boston he was among those Brady directed to leave mid-shift to work on his home.
‘I didn’t feel comfortable leaving and going there, but you know, basically, the boss said, “Go do it,”‘ Ramponi said.
Texts obtained by NBC Boston investigators show Ramponi informed his supervisor he was heading to Brady’s house.
Brady then sent him the address and door code, and noted the circulator pump that needed replacing was left on top of the dryer.
‘I felt like that if I didn’t go there and do it, there would be repercussions towards me, you know?’ Ramponi said. ‘He could do anything … change my shift.’
The State Ethics Commission found that Brady violated conflict of interest laws multiple times by having subordinate employees perform plumbing work at his home during and outside of state work hours.
The commission said Brady neither paid the plumbers nor reimbursed the Sheriff’s Office for the value of the state work time spent on the repairs.
Brady was terminated from his position earlier this month, according to NBC Boston.
Brady pleaded not guilty in court and was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. A court date has not yet been scheduled.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for the extortion charges.
The charges related to use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion carry a maximum of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
He may also face civil penalties stemming from a Massachusetts State Ethics Commission investigation.