On October 14, 2025, a former Massachusetts State Police sergeant, Gary Cederquist, got sentenced to six years in federal prison for running a scheme to help people get commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) without passing real tests.
What happened: Cederquist, who ran the CDL unit, accepted bribes like water, tea, snacks, and even home repairs to hand out fake passing scores on CDL skills tests for at least 40 applicants. Some of these were his friends, other troopers, and folks sent by people who worked with him.
- He and his crew called these special favors "golden handshakes" in their messages.
- People who obviously shouldn’t have passed—including some he called “horrible” or “no idea what he's doing”—still got CDLs anyway.
- Bribes came as things like cases of drinks, candy, a snowblower, a new driveway, and even a granite mailbox post.
The fallout: Along with Cederquist, three other troopers and two civilians were charged. Most pleaded guilty or made deals with prosecutors.
Judge Indira Talwani said the case was about “very, very substantial corruption.” Prosecutors argued Cederquist “transformed the CDL Unit into a criminal enterprise doling out commercial driver’s licenses to his own friends and acquaintances, or to people willing to pay to play,” according to MassLive.
Cederquist will also have to pay a $30,000 fine, restitution, and serve two years of supervised release after prison. He is required to report for his sentence in six weeks.