Dont ComplyThe Norwood Record, citing a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, reports that Thomas Brady, a former Norfolk County Sheriff's Office assistant superintendent and former Norwood Zoning Board of Appeals chair, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, two years of supervised release and a $5,000 fine. He pleaded guilty to one count of witness tampering and one count of using interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion. According to the report, in 2021 and 2022 Brady had subordinate maintenance workers perform unpaid plumbing and boiler work at his home on at least four occasions. One worker said they feared retaliation if they refused. After a worker reported him to the State Ethics Commission, Brady allegedly forged a letter to the Commission in that worker's name; the release says fingerprint and DNA evidence matched him. The report also says he sent a false anonymous accusation about the worker to a school. The article does not report a response from Brady beyond an apology to his family, which it attributes to NBC Boston.
Why it matters
Brady pleaded guilty and was sentenced for using his position over subordinates to obtain unpaid work and for interfering with an ethics investigation. The case shows how a public official's alleged retaliation threats can undermine ethics reporting.
Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.