A Boston resident has been sentenced for participating in a bribery scheme involving the Massachusetts State Police’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Unit. Eric Mathison, 48, received a sentence of one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani. Prosecutors had recommended a two-year prison term.
Mathison pleaded guilty earlier this year after being charged in January 2024 alongside five others, including former MSP Sergeant Gary Cederquist and other troopers from the CDL Unit led by Cederquist. According to court documents, Mathison worked at a water company that required its drivers to hold CDLs.
Authorities said that in exchange for bribes—such as cases of bottled water, tea, energy drinks, and candy delivered to an office trailer at the CDL test site in Stoughton—Cederquist provided passing scores to applicants who either failed or only partially completed their skills tests. Text messages cited during the case showed direct communication between Mathison and Cederquist about specific applicants and requests for goods.
For example, Cederquist described one applicant as “an idiot,” who had “no idea what he’s doing,” and “should have failed about 10 times already.” Despite this assessment, the applicant was given a passing score. In another exchange, Mathison asked about supplies: “Hows the trailer holding,” with Cederquist replying that it was “in desperate need of restocking” and listing specific products needed.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General for the Northeast Region announced the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam W. Deitch prosecuted the case.
Cederquist was convicted by a jury in May and is awaiting sentencing.
