Police Arrested in Driver’s License Scandal

A Massachusetts police sergeant accepted presents together with a snow blower, a plunge pool and a granite mailbox in change for permitting individuals to move their driver’s license check, federal prosecutors have stated.

Two retired and two present Massachusetts State Police have been charged with falsifying data as a part of the scandal, during which drivers allegedly handed their business driving exams in change for non-cash bribes that included every thing from a brand new driveway to bins of espresso.

The troopers are accused of giving preferential therapy to a minimum of 17 business driver’s license candidates between Could 2019 and January 2023. The troopers handed the drivers on a expertise check and joked on textual content messages how badly a driver had carried out, the indictment said.

Sergeant Gary Cederquist, 58, of Stoughton, and Trooper Joel Rogers, 54, of Bridgewater, had been arrested Tuesday. Calvin Butner, 63, of Halifax, and Perry Mendes, 63, of Wareham, each retired state troopers, had been arrested in Florida Monday. All 4 face greater than 70 counts on a variety of costs together with conspiracy to falsify data, extortion and making false statements.

Two others, Eric Mathison, 47, of Boston and Scott Camara, 42, of Rehoboth, had been additionally charged. All 4 pleaded not responsible to the fees on January 30.

Butner and Mendes had been arrested on January 29 within the southern and center districts of Florida, respectively and can seem in court docket at a later date.

Newsweek has sought e mail touch upon Friday from Cederquist’s lawyer.
Cederquist, who is also accused of serving to 4 state troopers get business driver’s licenses, is accused of accepting a brand new driveway price $10,000; a snow blower price $2,000 and a $750 granite mailbox. Cederquist additionally requested for a shed and a plunge pool in change for passing drivers.

In accordance with the charging doc Cederquist was in control of the state police business drivers unit, of which Trooper Rogers and retired Troopers Butner and Mendes had been members.

Members of MSP’s Industrial Driver’s License Unit (CDL) had been chargeable for administering CDL expertise exams to business drivers.

Cederquist, Butner, Mendes, Rogers and others allegedly used the code phrase “golden” in textual content messages to determine these candidates who obtained particular therapy.

Investigators downloaded the texts, which included the sentences: “Your buddy handed yesterday he owes you that is an automated Fail leaving the door open!!!;”
“This guys a multitude. Lol. He owes u a major rib 6inch. 4 compounds and no watch;”
“Your buddy is a multitude. He owes you large time. He shall be wonderful although. Something for you;”

Every of those candidates obtained a passing rating on their expertise check, prosecutors stated.

Moreover, it’s alleged that Cederquist gave preferential therapy to 4 MSP Troopers by falsely reporting that every trooper took and handed a Class A expertise check.

Additionally it is alleged that Cederquist conspired together with his pal Mathison, who labored for a spring water firm, to move workers in change with circumstances of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, circumstances of bottled Arizona Iced Tea, and low and tea merchandise, all of which Mathison allegedly delivered to an workplace trailer on the CDL check website in Stoughton, Massachusetts.

Cederquist allegedly despatched Mathison a textual content describing one among these candidates as “an fool,” who had “no thought what he is doing,” and “ought to have failed about 10 occasions already.” It’s alleged that Cederquist then texted Mathison that Mathison’s boss “owes large time.”

The indictment additionally alleges that Butner assisted with this conspiracy, together with by giving Mathison a key to the Stoughton yard in order that Mathison may drop off water when the check website was closed.

Mathison allegedly texted Cederquist that he was heading to the water firm’s warehouse in Bridgewater, writing: “Was heading to Bridgewater seeing when you all want something on return journey. Did you get a brand new key for the midnight categorical?” to which Cederquist replied, “Not but however I want Voss and Italian toast espresso and a few decaf for an outdated timer on the workplace.”

Cederquist allegedly accepted extra bribes from different those who included a $750 granite publish and mailbox; a brand new driveway valued at over $10,000; and a snow blower valued at almost $2,000.

The indictment alleges that Cederquist described one such applicant as “horrible,” and “mind lifeless,” however gave him a passing rating anyway in change for the snow blower.

“All CDL recipients recognized as not certified in the middle of this investigation have been reported to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Automobiles,” federal prosecutors stated whereas saying the indictment.