Boston – The grimy truth surfaces as Perry Mendes, a former Massachusetts State Trooper, stands sentenced for his sinister plot to falsify Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) test scores. Mendes, 64, of Wareham, has been handed a prison term and a year of supervised release for his role in this sordid conspiracy.
The justice system has delivered its verdict: one month behind bars followed by a year of home confinement as part of the harsh sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani. While the government had sought a year’s imprisonment and a fine of $5,500, Mendes will now face the consequences of his actions.
In July 2025, Mendes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to falsify records, three counts of falsifying records, and two counts of making false statements. His downfall began when he was charged in January 2024 along with five others in a 74-count indictment for their alleged involvement in the CDL test score scandal.
The Massachusetts State Police’s (MSP) CDL Unit is tasked with conducting these critical skills tests, which are designed to ensure only qualified drivers can secure a CDL. But Mendes and his cronies sought to undermine public safety by conspiring to give automatic passing scores to at least 17 applicants who should have failed or were never tested.
From January 2019 until April 2022, the “golden handshake” code was used to identify those who would receive this special treatment. Mendes confessed in July 2025 to cutting skills tests short for these “golden” applicants and entering false information on CDL score sheets. His actions were exposed, leading to his eventual conviction.
The U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations, and Brian C. Gallagher of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General announced the sentencing today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Wichers and Adam W. Deitch are leading the prosecution in this high-profile case.
Related Federal Cases
- Mass. Pain Doc Pleads Guilty to $27M Fraud Scheme · Massachusetts
- Buffalo Interpreter Bao Accused of Driver’s Test Fraud · Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Scheme · Massachusetts
- Harvard-Trained FinServ Founder Faces Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Charges · Massachusetts
- Cambridge Man Jailed for $40K Diary Fraud · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
