Former Massachusetts Trooper Sentenced Month Prison CDL Bribery Scheme

Perry Mendes, a former Massachusetts State Police trooper, was sentenced to one month in prison followed by a year of supervised release, including two months of home confinement, for his role in a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) bribery scheme. Mendes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to falsify records and making false statements, admitting to cutting CDL skills tests short, falsifying score sheets, and granting passing scores to unqualified applicants, some of whom never took the test. The scheme, which involved a secret code phrase “golden handshake,” allowed at least 17 individuals to receive CDLs without properly passing the required vehicle inspection, control skills, and road test segments, undermining public safety. Prosecutors revealed that Mendes and co-conspirators accepted gifts in exchange for licenses and that more than two dozen unqualified drivers were improperly licensed over approximately five years. Despite the government's recommendation of a year-long sentence, Mendes received a lighter punishment, though the case highlights the significant risks posed by corrupt practices in issuing commercial driving credentials. Federal authorities emphasized the critical importance of CDL testing for road safety and vowed to hold accountable those who violate public trust.