A Boston man, Eric Mathison, has admitted to his involvement in an extortion conspiracy linked to former Massachusetts State Police troopers. The case involves the manipulation of Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) test scores in exchange for bribes. Mathison, aged 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion on March 21, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani has set the sentencing date for June 13, 2025.
Mathison was implicated in a January 2024 indictment alongside five others accused of participating in the conspiracy and related activities. He worked for a water company that employed drivers requiring CDLs and conspired with former MSP Sergeant Gary Cederquist. Cederquist was responsible for the MSP’s CDL Unit and allegedly provided false passing scores to certain CDL applicants connected with the water company.
The allegations suggest that Cederquist accepted bribes in the form of free inventory from the water company, including bottled water and tea products, which Mathison delivered to a CDL test site office trailer in Stoughton. Mathison confessed to communicating with Cederquist about specific CDL applicants and their test performances. He acknowledged receiving texts from Cederquist describing one applicant as incompetent but still awarding them a passing score.
The charge against Mathison carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by federal guidelines and statutes governing criminal cases.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General for the Northeast Region. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Wichers and Adam W. Deitch are handling the prosecution.