Boston’s Eric Mathison, 48, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for his involvement in a brazen conspiracy to extort bribes from the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) CDL Unit. The verdict came as part of a sprawling investigation that implicated former MSP Sergeant Gary Cederquist and other troopers.
Mathison, who worked for a water company, was convicted of delivering bribes in exchange for falsified passing scores on CDL skills tests. The government had recommended a sentence of 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, but U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani imposed a slightly reduced term.
The scheme involved Mathison providing free inventory from the water company, including cases of premium bottled water and candy, to Cederquist. In return, Cederquist would award passing scores to CDL applicants who had failed or taken only partial tests. One instance saw Mathison being sent texts by Cederquist describing an applicant as ‘an idiot’ who ‘should have failed about 10 times already,’ despite receiving a passing score.
In January 2024, Mathison was charged in a 74-count indictment alongside Cederquist and five others. Mathison pleaded guilty in March 2025, while Cederquist awaits sentencing following his jury conviction in May. The investigation was announced by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations; and Brian C. Gallagher of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam W. Deitch prosecuted the case, ensuring that justice was served for this public corruption scandal that compromised the integrity of the MSP CDL Unit.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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