‘Golden handshakes’: MSP troopers handed failed CDL candidates in change for kickbacks, feds say

BOSTON — 4 present and former Massachusetts State Police troopers, in addition to a pair of civilians, have been charged in reference to an alleged bribery scheme to provide “assured passing scores” to industrial driver’s license candidates in change for kickbacks that included the repaving of a driveway, a brand new snowblower, and high-end bottled water, federal investigators stated.

A grand jury on Tuesday morning returned a 74-count indictment charging troopers Gary Cederquist, 58, of Stoughton, Calvin Butner, 63, of Halifax, Perry Mendes, 63, of Wareham, and Joel Rogers, 54, of Bridgewater, with conspiracy, extortion, mail fraud, false statements, and falsifying information, Joshua S. Levy, Performing United States Lawyer for the District of Massachusetts, introduced throughout a information convention at federal courtroom in Boston.

4 arrests had been made Tuesday morning, together with troopers Cederquist and Rogers, in addition to civilians Scott Camara, 42, of Rehoboth, and Eric Mathison, 47, of Boston, in response to Levy. Two retired troopers, Butner and Mendes, had been nabbed Monday in Florida.

“They’ve been indicted for his or her position in an alleged scheme to falsify the outcomes of business driver’s license exams,” Levy stated. “These are the varieties of licenses that people who find themselves driving vehicles or massive automobiles have to safe to function them safely. The indictment alleges that these defendants gave passing scores to individuals who didn’t move the exams.”

In return for passing unqualified candidates, Levy stated that Cederquist acquired private advantages together with a $10,000 driveway makeover, a $2,000 snowblower, and a $750 granite put up and mailbox, amongst an array of different objects.

It’s alleged that Cederquist additionally acquired a Okay-Cup machine, Polar Seltzer, bottled VOSS and Fiji water, containers of espresso and tea, and circumstances of Twizzlers and Swedish Fish sweet as kickbacks.

“Briefly, the CDLs had been on the market and troopers had been bribed with free items to move candidates regardless of how they carried out on the exams,” Levy stated.

The issuance of CDLs is ruled by federal regulation and requires operators to move a automobile inspection, a primary expertise check, and a highway check to function massive automobiles on roads and highways.

“These guidelines exist for one easy cause: To stop demise and accidents from the operation of business automobiles,” Levy stated.

CDL exams are administered on the state degree and the Massachusetts State Police Business Driver’s License Unit, which Cederquist was accountable for, is tasked with overseeing the examinations.

Beginning in August 2018, three troopers working in that unit used their positions to falsify outcomes on primary expertise exams for sure CDL candidates, in response to Levy. The indictment alleges that Rogers joined that conspiracy in 2022.

Camara and Mathison both offered free items or conspired with the troopers to move candidates who both failed, took an abbreviated model of the check, or didn’t check in any respect, Levy stated.

“These defendants displayed no regard for the general public security penalties by permitting individuals who didn’t move the exams to have a CDL,” Levy stated.

The indictment confirmed that the troopers jokingly talked about “golden handshakes” and “golden therapies” in textual content messages, referring to giving assured passes to CDL candidates, no matter how they scored on the check.

Based on the charging doc, Cederquist, Butner, Mendes, Rogers, and others conspired to provide preferential remedy to at the least 17 CDL candidates by agreeing to provide passing scores on their expertise exams whether or not or not they handed, utilizing the code phrase “golden” to establish these candidates who acquired particular remedy. The indictment alleges that the next texts, some by Cederquist and others by Butner, had been despatched about a few of these candidates:

• “Your buddy handed yesterday he owes you that’s an computerized Fail leaving the door open!!!;”
• “This guys a large number. Lol. He owes u a main rib 6inch. 4 compounds and no watch;”
• “Your buddy is a large number. He owes you huge time. He might be effective although. Something for you;”
• “Golden mess. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣;”
• “He’s a large number Class A truck 2psi loss with truck operating truck reduce our once more whereas timing 🤣🤣🤣🤣;” and
• “Complete mess this man I believe a while we should always simply do what we are able to however not golden.”

Moreover, it’s alleged that Cederquist gave preferential remedy to 4 Class A CDL candidates who had been MSP Troopers by falsely reporting that every trooper took and handed a Class A expertise check. Levy stated that Cederquist conspired with Camara, who labored for a truck-driving faculty in Brockton, to perform this offense.

Cederquist can be accused of conspiring with Mathison, who labored for a spring water firm that employed drivers who wanted CDLs, to provide passing scores to sure candidates affiliated with the water firm. The indictment additionally alleges that Cederquist described one such applicant as “horrible,” and “mind lifeless,” however gave him a passing rating anyway in change for a snow blower.

The 4 troopers dealing with costs made the next salaries in recent times, state information confirmed:

• Cederquist: $194,191 in 2023, $331,619 in 2022, and $244,888 in 2021
• Rogers: $175,804 in 2023, $184,881 in 2022, $161,327 in 2021
• Butner: $81,378 in 2023, $159,893 in 2022, $157,166 in 2021
• Mendes: $2,000 in 2023, $94,721 in 2022, $178,632 in 2021

Levy concluded his remarks by saying this case is a “sober reminder that none of us are above the regulation.”

In a press release, the State Police Affiliation of Massachusetts stated the general public’s belief is essential to them:

The Affiliation is dedicated to the welfare of not simply our Troopers and their households, but additionally the individuals of Massachusetts who’re dedicated to the ideas of justice, accountability, and transparency.

As an Affiliation, we had been disillusioned to be taught of the latest indictments involving two present and two former members. We’ll carefully monitor the developments of this case whereas respecting the authorized course of and the due strategy of these concerned.

The general public’s confidence in regulation enforcement is crucial to reaching our objectives of public security and safety. Because the newly elected President of the Affiliation, I take these allegations critically and urge everybody to attend till an intensive examination of the information is public with a purpose to be sure that the case is adjudicated in a good and neutral method.

An investigation stays ongoing.

Learn the total 74-page indictment under:

This can be a growing story. Verify again for updates as extra info turns into obtainable.

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