Norfolk County Jail Official Accused of Coercing Free Plumbing from Subordinates

A Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office official finds himself under scrutiny as the State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause, alleging Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Jail Operations, Thomas Brady, committed multiple violations of the conflict of interest law by leveraging his position to have plumbing work done at his home for free by subordinate staff. According to the

Massachusetts Government

, these incidents reportedly occurred sporadically throughout 2021 and 2022.

The allegations paint a troubling picture, Brady, who oversees jail operations, reportedly coaxed workers from the Sheriff’s Office to replace a shower head and water heater, and repair his boiler during their work hours for the state on these occasions, he neither paid the plumbers nor reimbursed their time to the Sheriff’s Office. The document further states that on one occasion, Brady provided a bottle of wine to a plumber and electrician as compensation for a boiler repair done outside of work hours, the strings of authority taut with implied coercion, with workers potentially feeling they had little choice but to acquiesce given Brady’s rank.

Central to the State Ethics Commission’s cause is the concept that no state employee should use their position for unwarranted gains, a safeguard against corruption and the misuse of public resources; the conflict of interest law echoes these sentiments, decrying the receipt of substantial value based on one’s official capacities, and prohibiting the pursuit of privileges that aren’t publicly available. “Each time Brady approached subordinate Sheriff’s Office employees regarding private work at his home, his request was inherently coercive due to his rank and position,” the Order alleges, highlighting the power dynamics at play, as per the

Massachusetts Government

.

A hearing is expected to be scheduled within the following 90 days where Brady will have to account for the alleged actions that, if proven, could result in fines up to $10,000 for each violation of the conflict of interest law as the Commission is vested with the authority to impose civil penalties for each transgression, these proceedings will cast a light on the Sheriff’s Office and the integrity of those chosen to uphold the law themselves stand accused of side-stepping it. The Commission also extended advice to public employees, urging them to reach out to its Legal Division for free counsel regarding how the conflict of interest law may apply in their own professional conduct.

In the meantime, the implications for the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office loom large, as it is compelled to confront the unsavory notion that one of its own may have exploited the trust and responsibility associated with public service, and the community watches, waits, for answers that will either affirm or undermine faith in those appointed to watch over the corridors of justice.

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