Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins appeared in a Massachusetts courtroom on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to two extortion charges related to his dealings with a Boston-based cannabis company.

Tompkins was arrested by FBI agents on Aug. 8 in Florida, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston announced at the time.

He arrived at the John J. Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston Thursday afternoon with his lawyer Martin Weinberg, who represented Karen Read in her unsuccessful Supreme Judicial Court and federal appeal of her case.

Facing extortion charges

Tompkins faces two counts of extortion under color of official right. He will be released until his next hearing on Oct. 16.

Tompkins did not speak outside court after his hearing, but his lawyer made a statement to the me

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