Man pleads guilty in Mass. State Police commercial driver's license scheme
A Rehoboth man this week became the fourth person tied to a commercial driver's license bribery scheme, including a pair of former Massachusetts State Police troopers, to plead guilty to federal criminal charges, U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley said.
Scott Camara, 44, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to falsify records and perjury on Wednesday. He will be sentenced on July 21.
In January 2024, Camara and five others were charged in a 74-count indictment accusing them of conspiring to pass unqualified drivers on the Commercial Drivers License skills test in exchange for bribes. Since then, Camara, and another civilian co-defendant, Eric Mathison, have pleaded guilty.
A pair of former State Police troopers, Calvin Butner, and Perry Mendes, have also entered guilty pleas. The man accused of masterminding the scheme, State Police Sgt. Gary Cederquist, is on trial in federal court in Boston.
According to federal prosecutors, in return for friendly driver's license tests, Cederquist received work on a repaved driveway valued at over $10,000, a $2,000 snowblower and other gifts.
Another state trooper, Joel Rogers, of Bridgewater, has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the government, records show. The agreement itself is sealed, but indicates that prosecutors intend to drop the charges against Rogers should he meet certain conditions.
The Massachusetts State Police Commercial Drivers License Unit is responsible for administering skills tests to applicants seeking commercial licenses. The test is a 'demanding,' in-person exam with three components, prosecutors said.
Camara is accused of conspiring with Cederquist to give passing scores to four troopers who applied for Class A commercial licenses but did not actually take the skills test.
Prosecutors say Cederquist gave the troopers preferential treatment, reporting they took and passed the test. In reality, Camara drove around the testing site with each of the four troopers in a truck cab, which did not qualify as a Class A vehicle because it did not have an attached trailer, Foley's office said. Neither Cederquist nor any other member of the unit gave the troopers a skills test, according to the statement.
Camara put false information on each trooper's Road Test Application, including a make, model and registration for the non-existent trailer. He also falsely claimed to be a sponsor for each of the troopers, according to Foley's office.
The perjury charge stems from false statements Camara made to a federal grand jury in May 2023. Testifying under oath, Camara said he had neither filled out the vehicle nor sponsor information sections on three of the applications and said he had not signed the forms, Foley's office said.
All those who received commercial licenses who were identified as not qualified during the investigation were reported to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, Foley's office said.
Camara faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to falsify records charge, and a sentence of up to five years in prison for perjury.
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