A former Massachusetts State Police trooper has agreed to plead guilty to falsifying records in a bribery scandal for allegedly giving commercial driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants, the U.S. Attorney said Tuesday.
Calvin Butner, 64, of Halifax, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify records, three counts of falsifying records and aiding and abetting and five counts of making false statements, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled Butner’s plea hearing for April 7.
In January 2024, Butner and five others, including two active Massachusetts State Police troopers at the time, were charged in a 74-count indictment in the alleged conspiracy, Foley said. They include Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Gary Cederquist, 58, of Stoughton, and Trooper Joel Rogers, 54, of Bridgewater, who were taken off the job following duty status hearings in 2024. Retired trooper Perry Mendes, 63, of Wareham, was also charged.
Cederquist and Rogers were later arraigned in federal court in Boston, where they both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Cederquist retired from the department in 2024 after being suspended without pay.
On March 21, Eric Mathison of Boston, a civilian, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion.
The men were charged in a federal indictment for allegedly giving commercial driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants in exchange for personal kickbacks, including a $10,000 driveway makeover, free snowblowers, high-end bottled water, and cases of coffee and tea.
26 drivers stripped of CDLs amid investigation into state police bribery scandal, RMV says
A Commercial Driver’s License is required to drive a commercial vehicle, such as a tractor-trailer, a box truck, or a school bus, according to the charging document. Test requirements for Commercial Driver’s Licenses are established by the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
‘Golden handshakes’: MSP troopers passed failed CDL applicants in exchange for kickbacks, feds say
However, states administer Commercial Driver’s License tests and issue the licenses.
The CDL test is a demanding, in-person test, officials said. An applicant must prove they have detailed knowledge of commercial vehicles. They must also perform certain maneuvers and safely drive on public roadways, including a highway.
Only drivers who have passed the test and have proved they are qualified to drive a commercial vehicle may be issued a Commercial Driver’s License, because public safety is at issue, officials said.
Test scores reported by members of the Massachusetts State Police CDL Unit are material to whether applicants meet federal requirements for, and therefore whether the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles may issue, CDLs.
According to the charging document, between in on or about May 2019 and January 2023, Butner and three other members of the CDL Unit conspired to give preferential treatment to at least 17 CDL applicants by agreeing to give passing scores on their CDL tests, regardless of whether or not they actually passed.
The indictment showed that the troopers jokingly talked about “golden handshakes” and “golden treatments” in text messages, referring to giving guaranteed passes to CDL applicants, regardless of how they scored on the test. Foley released these texts that Butner allegedly sent to others:
- “This guys a mess. . . . Lol. He owes u a prime rib 6inch.”
- “Golden mess. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣”
- “He’s a mess Class A truck 2psi loss with truck running truck cut our again while timing 🤣🤣🤣🤣”
- “Total mess this guy[.] i think some time[s] we should just do what we can but not golden. I’ll tell you about it later.”
In addition to the false records conspiracy, Butner has agreed to plead guilty to three counts of falsifying records, aiding and abetting, by giving passing scores to three applicants who failed the CDL test, and five counts of making false statements by giving passing scores to five applicants who did not take the test at all.
Prosecutors said all CDL recipients identified as not qualified during the federal investigation have been reported to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
In response to the investigation, state police earlier said they’ve taken steps to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability on a department-wide scale. These include:
- Required use of body-worn cameras for all CDL exams.
- Increased frequency of unannounced visits by unit supervisors to examiners at training sites.
- Modernized unit record-keeping with required electronic documentation and the use of the Department’s online case management system, allowing for enhanced accountability, accuracy, and supervision.
For the charge of conspiracy to falsify records, Butner faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
For each charge of falsification of records, Butner faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
For each charge of false statements, Butner faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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