Joseph Buffis, Extortion, Massachusetts 2012

Former Lee Police Chief Guilty of Extortion

A former Massachusetts police chief has been sentenced to prison for extorting a $4,000 payment from a couple facing prostitution charges in Southern Berkshire District Court.

Joseph Buffis, 57, of Pittsfield, Mass., was sentenced to 27 months in prison, two years of supervised release and forfeiture of $4,000 by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni in Springfield.

The crime occurred on February 21, 2012, when Buffis extorted a $4,000 “donation” check to the Edward J. Laliberte Toy Fund, a children’s holiday toy fund, from two individuals who were facing prostitution-related charges.

Buffis deposited the $4,000 check into the toy fund’s bank account and then quickly withdrew $3,990 of these funds in three checks that he wrote to “cash.” He did not cash these checks, but instead deposited them into a personal bank account, and then used the diverted funds to pay various personal expenses.

When law enforcement commenced an investigation into this activity, Buffis repeatedly lied about the funds. At today’s sentencing, Judge Mastroianni stated that, “Mr. Buffis used his position as the highest ranking police officer to essentially auction off his own concept of justice.”

Buffis was convicted following a three-week trial in June 2015 of extortion under color of official right. U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Special Agent in Charge Harold H. Shaw of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven H. Breslow and Deepika Shukla of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office. Joseph Buffis, former Lee Police Chief, was sentenced for extortion under color of official right in Massachusetts on an unknown date, but the crime occurred on February 21, 2012. He received a sentence of 27 months in prison and forfeiture of $4,000.

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