Boston, MA – Ex-State Trooper, Gary Cederquist, has been convicted on nearly 50 counts for accepting bribes and falsifying commercial driver’s license (CDL) test results. The case reveals a serious breach of public trust and raises concerns about the integrity of CDL licensing in the state.
Bribes Exchanged for Fake Passing Scores
Ex-State Trooper Cederquist, 59, of Stoughton, accepted illicit payments including a new snowblower and driveway paving in return for issuing fake passing scores to unqualified CDL applicants. Instead of upholding testing standards, he passed at least 17 drivers who had failed their tests — actions that endangered public safety.
The conspiracy took place between May 2019 and January 2023, according to federal prosecutors. Cederquist and other troopers used coded text messages, often saying the applicant was “golden,” to signal they had falsely passed someone. In one case, a trooper joked about how poorly a driver performed, but passed them anyway.
Prosecutors Condemn Violation of Duty
“Cederquist chose bribery and extortion over his oath to protect the community,” said U.S. Attorney Leah Foley. “His actions placed unqualified drivers behind the wheels of heavy vehicles, threatening everyone on the road.”
The jury convicted him of conspiracy to commit extortion, honest services mail fraud, and extortion, among other charges. Four co-defendants, including two civilians and two troopers, have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Broader Pattern of Corruption
This is not an isolated incident. In recent years, the Massachusetts State Police has dealt with multiple scandals. For instance, 46 troopers from Troop E, which patrolled the Massachusetts Turnpike, were caught falsifying overtime records between 2015 and 2017. They submitted fake traffic citations to justify pay for shifts they didn’t work.
Deadly Consequences and Systemic Failures
The CDL testing scandal follows a tragic 2019 crash in New Hampshire, where commercial truck driver Volodymyr Zhukovskyy killed seven motorcyclists. At the time, he should have lost his CDL due to a DUI arrest in Connecticut. Although Connecticut officials notified Massachusetts, the license was never suspended due to a backlog in processing such alerts.
State Implements Reforms
In response to these issues, Massachusetts officials have implemented several reforms:
- Mandated body cameras during CDL exams
- Increased supervisor oversight through unannounced visits
- Updated training protocols and examiner curriculum
These reforms aim to restore integrity in a system where, in 2022, only 41% of CDL applicants passed — a statistic that underscores the importance of honest testing.
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