A former trooper with the Massachusetts State Police has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges in a bribery scandal in which commercial driver's licenses were awarded to applicants who failed or did not properly complete the test.
Calvin Butner, a 64-year-old Halifax resident and retired state trooper, was among six people arrested in the scheme last year. The office of Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said Tuesday that he would plead guilty to nine charges at a plea hearing on April 7.
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Butner is one of four current or former state troopers charged in the case. He and three members of the state police CDL unit were accused of conspiring to give preferential treatment to at least 17 applicants between May of 2019 and January of 2023 -- regardless of whether they passed their exams. They allegedly referred to these applicants in texts using the code word "golden," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
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Butner will 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, prosecutors said.
While Butner's sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, the U.S. Attorney's Office noted that the conspiracy charge and each count of falsifying records are punishable by up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The false statement charges each carry maximum sentences of five years in prison, as well as three years of supervised release and fines of up to $250,000.
Drivers must obtain a CDL to operate commercial vehicles like tractor-trailers, box trucks and school buses. Prosecutors explained that while the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets the test requirements, states administer the tests and issue licenses.
"The CDL test is a demanding, in-person test. An applicant must not only 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 thereby proved they are qualified to drive a commercial vehicle may be issued a CDL, because public safety is at issue," the U.S. Attorney's Office wrote in a press release. "Test scores reported by members of MSP's CDL Unit are material to whether applicants meet federal requirements for, and therefore whether the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles may issue, CDLs."
Eric Mathison, one of two civilians charged in the case, pleaded guilty last month to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. Prosecutors said he bribed former Sgt. Gary Cederquist, who led the state police CDL unit, with free inventory from the water company where he worked -- including cases of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, cases of Arizona Iced Tea and other coffee and tea products.
