Police Arrested in Driver’s License Scandal

A Massachusetts police sergeant approved gifts which include a snow blower, a plunge pool and a granite mailbox in exchange for allowing persons to pass their driver’s license exam, federal prosecutors have reported.

Two retired and two recent Massachusetts Condition Police have been billed with falsifying records as part of the scandal, in which drivers allegedly handed their business driving exams in trade for non-income bribes that integrated every little thing from a new driveway to containers of coffee.

The troopers are accused of providing preferential treatment to at the very least 17 industrial driver’s license candidates among Might 2019 and January 2023. The troopers handed the drivers on a capabilities exam and joked on textual content messages how terribly a driver experienced carried out, the indictment mentioned.

Sergeant Gary Cederquist, 58, of Stoughton, and Trooper Joel Rogers, 54, of Bridgewater, were arrested Tuesday. Calvin Butner, 63, of Halifax, and Perry Mendes, 63, of Wareham, both retired point out troopers, were arrested in Florida Monday. All 4 face additional than 70 counts on a selection of rates which include conspiracy to falsify records, extortion and earning fake statements.

Two other individuals, Eric Mathison, 47, of Boston and Scott Camara, 42, of Rehoboth, have been also charged. All four pleaded not guilty to the rates on January 30.

Butner and Mendes were being arrested on January 29 in the southern and middle districts of Florida, respectively and will surface in court at a later date.

Newsweek has sought e mail remark on Friday from Cederquist’s legal professional.
Cederquist, who also is accused of helping four state troopers get professional driver’s licenses, is accused of accepting a new driveway truly worth $10,000 a snow blower truly worth $2,000 and a $750 granite mailbox. Cederquist also questioned for a shed and a plunge pool in exchange for passing motorists.

In accordance to the charging doc Cederquist was in cost of the condition law enforcement professional motorists device, of which Trooper Rogers and retired Troopers Butner and Mendes ended up users.

Users of MSP’s Business Driver’s License Unit (CDL) were being liable for administering CDL competencies assessments to professional drivers.

Cederquist, Butner, Mendes, Rogers and other folks allegedly utilized the code word “golden” in text messages to determine these applicants who been given specific procedure.

Investigators downloaded the texts, which integrated the sentences: “Your buddy passed yesterday he owes you that is an computerized Fail leaving the door open!!!”
“This men a mess. Lol. He owes u a key rib 6inch. 4 compounds and no watch”
“Your buddy is a mess. He owes you significant time. He will be wonderful even though. Anything at all for you”

Every single of these applicants obtained a passing rating on their competencies test, prosecutors claimed.

Furthermore, it is alleged that Cederquist gave preferential treatment to four MSP Troopers by falsely reporting that each and every trooper took and handed a Course A competencies check.

It is also alleged that Cederquist conspired with his friend Mathison, who worked for a spring water firm, to go workforce in trade with instances of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia h2o, instances of bottled Arizona Iced Tea, and espresso and tea products and solutions, all of which Mathison allegedly sent to an place of work trailer at the CDL exam web-site in Stoughton, Massachusetts.

Cederquist allegedly sent Mathison a text describing one of these candidates as “an idiot,” who had “no idea what he is doing,” and “should have failed about 10 moments presently.” It is alleged that Cederquist then texted Mathison that Mathison’s boss “owes large time.”

The indictment also alleges that Butner assisted with this conspiracy, including by offering Mathison a critical to the Stoughton yard so that Mathison could fall off water when the take a look at internet site was shut.

Mathison allegedly texted Cederquist that he was heading to the water company’s warehouse in Bridgewater, creating: “Was heading to Bridgewater seeing if you all need everything on return trip. Did you get a new vital for the midnight convey?” to which Cederquist replied, “Not but but I need to have Voss and Italian toast espresso and some decaf for an aged timer at the office.”

Cederquist allegedly recognized additional bribes from other persons that integrated a $750 granite article and mailbox a new driveway valued at above $10,000 and a snow blower valued at just about $2,000.

The indictment alleges that Cederquist described 1 these kinds of applicant as “terrible,” and “mind useless,” but gave him a passing rating anyway in trade for the snow blower.

“All CDL recipients identified as not competent in the course of this investigation have been described to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Cars,” federal prosecutors explained although saying the indictment.