Gary Cederquist, Massachusetts State Trooper at center of alleged bribery scheme, gets dishonorable discharge
BOSTON - Gary Cederquist, the Massachusetts State Police Sergeant at the center of an alleged Commercial Driver's License application bribery scheme, retired Thursday with a dishonorable discharge.
Cederquist, 58, of Stoughton, was one of six people charged Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney's Office with giving several drivers the licenses in exchange for gifts or services. Four of the six charged were current or retired State Troopers.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said more than two dozen drivers got CDLs since August 2018, without taking or passing the exam. Cederquist was the Sergeant in charge of the unit that gave the skills tests to drivers.
Levy said Cederquist was given a new driveway worth more than $10,000, a snow blower worth $2,000, free landscaping and a $750 mailbox in exchange for licenses.
He was suspended without pay indefinitely after a duty status hearing Wednesday.
"Any determinations about the state pensions of the indicted MSP members will be made by the state Retirement Board, not the Department," State Police spokesman Dave Procopio said in a statement Thursday.
The other active trooper who was charged, Joel Rogers, 54, of Bridgewater, is also suspended without pay.
The retired troopers, Calvin Butner, 63, of Halifax, and Perry Mendes, 63, of Wareham, were both arrested Monday in Florida.
The other two named in the indictment are civilian friends of Cederquist - Scott Camara, 42, of Rehoboth and Eric Mathison, 47, of Boston.
