A Boston man pleaded responsible final week to his function in a scheme to bribe officers into awarding Industrial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) to candidates who failed or didn’t correctly full the check.
Eric Mathison, 48, pleaded responsible to his half within the scheme in federal court docket on Monday. In accordance with the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace, Mathison labored at a water firm that required drivers to have CDLs to drive supply autos.
Prosecutors alleged Mathison coordinated with others together with former Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Gary Cederquist, who was answerable for the CDL unit, to safe passing scores to candidates related to the water firm. He then supplied Cederquist with brides within the type of free stock from the water firm, together with instances of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, instances of Arizona Iced Tea and different espresso and tea merchandise.
Mathison admitted to speaking with Cederquist about candidates, how they carried out, and what merchandise Cederquist allegedly requested from the water firm. In a single case, Mathison admitted that he acquired texts, allegedly from Cederquist, describing one water firm applicant as “an fool,” who had “no thought what he’s doing,” and “ought to have failed about 10 instances already.” Cederquist gave the applicant a passing rating on the check.
Mathison pleaded responsible to at least one rely of conspiracy to commit extortion. He’s scheduled for sentencing on June 13. He faces as much as 20 years in jail, as much as three years of supervised launch and a tremendous of as much as $250,000.
Six individuals, 4 of them present and former state police troopers, had been arrested final 12 months as a part of the alleged bribery conspiracy, Mathison and Cederquist amongst them.
The 74-count indictment alleges a scheme that dates again 5 years by which drivers who did not take the industrial driver’s license check partly or in full or failed it had been allowed to go anyway in change for items or companies, together with a complimentary re-paving of Cederquist’s driveway, valued at $10,000, and a free snowblower.
The alleged conspirators texted one another about “the golden handshake” and “the golden therapy,” in line with the indictment.
Cederquist pleaded not responsible in Boston’s federal court docket final 12 months. He was dishonorably discharged from the Massachusetts State Police in January 2024. Different troopers – some retired and a few who had been present on the time – had been additionally implicated within the scheme, dropping a curtain of scandal over the company.
The 74-count indictment alleges a scheme by which drivers who did not take the industrial driver’s license check partly or in full or failed it had been allowed to go anyway in change for items or companies. it is the newest in a collection of current high-profile instances concerning trooper misconduct.
The state Registry of Motor Automobiles stated it recognized greater than two dozen drivers who didn’t go the right testing final 12 months. Their industrial driver’s licenses had been pulled and they’re required to undergo the total allow, coaching and expertise testing once more to have one reissued.
The RMV stated they’ve discovered no proof that any of the drivers had been concerned in a crash whereas driving a industrial car.
Six individuals, 4 of them present and former Massachusetts State Police troopers, have been arrested as a part of an alleged bribery conspiracy to present assured passing scores to sure candidates for industrial driver’s licenses, or CDLs, in line with the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for Massachusetts.
