Crime

2nd ex-State Police trooper pleads guilty in commercial driver’s license scheme

Perry Mendes pleaded guilty Friday in the alleged conspiracy to give passing test scores to certain commercial driver’s license applicants.

Charles Krupa / AP, File

April 16, 2025

1 minute to read

A second former Massachusetts State Police trooper pleaded guilty Friday in an alleged conspiracy to give passing test scores to certain commercial driver’s license applicants regardless of their performance, officials said Tuesday.

Perry Mendes, 64, of Wareham, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify records, three counts of falsifying records, and two counts of making false statements, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Between May 2019 and January 2023, Mendes and other members of the CDL unit allegedly gave the passing test scores to at least 17 applicants, regardless of their results. The statement did not specify why these applicants received the preferential treatment.

Mendes admitted that he shortened skills tests for applicants, entered false information on CDL score sheets, and reported passing scores for applicants who he knew did not take the skills test, officials said.

The plea came nearly two weeks after Calvin Butner, also a former trooper, agreed to plead guilty to similar charges. Both men were charged in a 74-count indictment in January 2024 along with four others in the driver’s license scheme.

Mendes is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15.