The federal extortion charges against Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins are “serious,” but Gov. Maura Healey isn’t calling for him to step down — yet.

"They’re certainly serious, and no one in elected positions should ever use or abuse their power in an unlawful way,” Healey told reporters after an unrelated event in Natick earlier this week, according to State House News Service. “I need to know more about this. I need to get more information.”

Tompkins was arrested Friday in Florida and indicted by a federal grand jury on two extortion counts.

Prosecutors have charged that Tompkins used his position to pressure a Boston-based cannabis company executive into paying $50,000 in exchange for help doing business in the city. The U.S. Justice Department said the conduct involved the

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