BOSTON — A former Massachusetts state police sergeant faced a substantial downfall on Friday as he was found guilty in a bribery and extortion scheme. Gary Cederquist, aged 59 from Stoughton, was convicted on close to 50 charges, including conspiracy to commit extortion, honest services mail fraud, and dishonestly awarding passing scores on commercial driving exams in exchange for bribes such as a new snowblower and driveway.
Cederquist, amongst two other troopers and two civilians, was charged with falsifying records and extending unwarranted leniency to at least 17 drivers attempting their commercial driver’s license tests from May 2019 through January 2023. Evidence revealed that even when these drivers failed their skills tests, troopers ensured they got passing scores, communicating their actions through texts using “golden” as a code word. The indictment further highlighted instances where troopers joked in messages about how poorly some drivers performed on their tests.
In the scandal involving five individuals, four have already pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Expressing her concerns, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley remarked, “It is a somber moment when law enforcement becomes criminal, more so when public safety is at risk.” She emphasized, “Gary Cederquist chose bribery and extortion over his duty to protect. His scheme endangered public safety by granting licenses to unqualified individuals, likely untested in operating heavy commercial vehicles.”
Elise Chawaga, from the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, noted the significance of this verdict, stating that it delivers a “stern warning to those letting greed motivate such abuses — they will encounter the full extent of criminal justice.” Cederquist’s legal representative did not provide any comments despite attempts for contact.
This scandal marks another dark chapter for Massachusetts State Police, already entangled in past misconduct. The disbanded Troop E had seen 46 current and retired troopers accused of falsely claiming overtime payments for non-existent or incomplete shifts between 2015 and 2017, often issuing fake traffic tickets to simulate work activity.
The incident also threw light on possible weaknesses in the commercial driver’s licensing system, notorious for its low pass rate – only 41% in 2022, according to federal data. The licensing process came under intense scrutiny in 2019 following a tragic accident. Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, whose commercial license should have been suspended due to a DUI arrest in Connecticut, was involved in a deadly collision killing seven motorcyclists in New Hampshire. The suspension error stemmed from a backlog in processing out-of-state driving offenses at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
Since then, Massachusetts state police have undertaken significant reforms in the commercial driver’s license unit, including mandating body cameras during exams and increasing random supervisory checks. Additional measures involve having examiners during training, new training procedures, and updated curriculum development, all to prevent future malfeasance.