The Eastie man convicted in reference to the Mass State Police business driver’s license bribery scheme is receiving letters of assist from ex-BPD officers forward of his federal sentencing.
Eric Mathison, 48, earlier this 12 months pleaded responsible to his position in an extortion conspiracy involving troopers who gave false passing scores to business driver’s license candidates who had failed or had taken solely partial CDL expertise check — in alternate for bribes.
Mathison additionally has a “serious criminal history,” in response to the feds, citing his arrests and convictions for impersonating cops.
Earlier than his federal sentencing later this summer time, Mathison is receiving assist from retired Boston cops. That features former BPD Sgt. Francis Matthews.
“His dedication to his family, his community, and his respect for authority are qualities that make him an outstanding individual,” Matthews wrote in a letter to the federal choose. “I humbly request that you consider Eric’s exemplary character and the positive impact he has on those around him when evaluating his situation.”
Retired BPD officer Jane Dean, who’s now the Boston Municipal Protecting Officer at Boston Metropolis Corridor, additionally wrote a letter of assist to the choose.
“I have known him since he was born and watched him grow up. His younger years were hard on him and I know very well all the troubles he had,” Dean wrote. “Eric paid a very steep price for his mistakes being incarcerated almost half his life. Eric is a much different person today. He turned his life around completely becoming someone I admire greatly.”
Mathison, who labored for a water firm that employed drivers who wanted CDLs to drive their supply automobiles, participated within the scheme designed for Sgt. Gary Cederquist to acquire hundreds of {dollars} of merchandise from Mathison’s employer, Belmont Springs.
In alternate, Cederquist – then in command of MSP’s CDL Unit – ensured that candidates for CDLs related to Mathison and Belmont Springs would obtain passing scores on the CDL expertise check.
Over the course of the scheme, Mathison delivered truckloads of premium bottled water, packing containers of espresso pods and tea, brand-new espresso and drink machines, and sweet, like Twizzlers and Swedish Fish, to Cederquist — each at his work trailer at MSP’s CDL testing web site in Stoughton and at his home.
In flip, Cederquist supplied passing scores to Belmont Springs CDL candidates, together with to candidates who by no means took an precise check – or who, in some circumstances, failed it.
Following Mathison’s responsible plea, the Massachusetts U.S. Lawyer’s workplace is looking for a federal jail sentence of two years, and three years of supervised launch.
The feds are citing his “serious criminal history, including, among other things, a variety of arrests and convictions relating to the impersonation of police officers.”
“The government acknowledges that many of these offenses took place years ago, when he was a young adult, though the nature of the conduct and his repeat offenses – especially those that involve impersonating members of law enforcement by dressing up in police garb, wearing a police belt, and driving vehicles outfitted with police lights – may provide insight into his potential for recidivism,” U.S. Lawyer prosecutors wrote of their sentencing memo.
Consequently, the feds argue {that a} 24-month sentence is required to discourage Mathison from reoffending upon his launch from custody.
In the meantime, his protection lawyer is pushing for the court docket to condemn him to probation in lieu of incarceration. Mathison’s lawyer added that he could be OK with dwelling detention, so long as he can maintain working.
Mathison is the first caretaker of his two ailing mother and father, his lawyer mentioned.
“When not working, he is usually home attending to the needs of his elderly parents,” his federal public defender wrote in his sentencing memo. “They rely upon him both financially and for day-to-day care.”
Mathison’s father has congestive coronary heart failure, COPD, and diabetes that’s extreme sufficient to have resulted in a partial amputation on his left foot. Mathison’s mom additionally suffers from diabetes, hypertension, and dementia.
His lawyer additionally argued that the bribery scheme was not completely of his making.
“Taken as a whole, this case exposed a whole culture of favor-doing and corruption within the state police’s CDL unit, with Sgt. Cederquist at the center of it,” the general public defender wrote.
“Eric Mathison did not create this culture of favor-doing within the CDL unit and his culpability is not simply equivalent to Sgt. Cederquist or the other members of the CDL unit,” the lawyer wrote. “… Mathison got nothing out of this arrangement financially.”
