2 More MA State Troopers Agree to Plead Guilty In Overtime Scam

BOSTON – One suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper and one retired Trooper agreed to plead guilty today in connection with the ongoing investigation of overtime abuse at the Massachusetts State Police that had taxpayers covering the costs of numerous unworked shifts. This brings the number of troopers to plead guilty to five.

In May, the scandal, which allegedly included other misconduct, resulted in Troop E being disbanded and the governor and the new head of the State police promising to restore public trust. A federal grand jury investigation followed as well as a rash of suspensions and sudden retirements from the embattled law enforcement agency that has struggled to regain its footing since a change in leadership last November.

Eric Chin, 46, of Hanover, a suspended Trooper, and Paul Cesan, 50, of Southwick, a retired Trooper, were each charged in an Information with one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. Both have agreed to plead guilty pursuant to a plea agreement.

They are accused of embezzling $36,412 between the two of them during 2016.

Chin and Cesan were assigned to Troop E, which was responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic regulations along the Mass Pike. In 2016, Chin earned $302,400, which included approximately $131,653 in overtime pay. In 2016, Cesan earned $163,533, which included approximately $50,866 in overtime pay.

According to the charging documents, Chin and Cesan were paid for overtime shifts that they did not work at all or from which they left early. Each is alleged to have concealed their scheme by submitting fake citations designed to create the appearance that they had worked overtime hours that they had not, and, falsely claimed in paperwork and payroll entries that they had worked the entirety of their overtime shifts.

Chin has agreed to plead guilty to collecting $7,125 for overtime hours that he did not work, and Cesan has agreed to plead guilty to collecting $29,287 for overtime hours that he did not work. Both were supposed to be working overtime on a special program intended to reduce accidents, crashes, and injuries on I-90 by targeting speeding cars.

Chin and Cesan are the fourth and fifth Troopers to plead guilty as a result of the ongoing investigation.

On Oct. 11, suspended Trooper Gary Herman, 45, of Chester, pleaded guilty; on July 2, former Trooper Gregory Raftery, 47, of Westwood pleaded guilty; and on Sept. 14, suspended Trooper Kevin Sweeney, 40, of Braintree pleaded guilty. On June 27, 2018, former Lieutenant David Wilson, 57, of Charlton was arrested and charged with the same crime, and on July 25, retired Trooper Daren DeJong, 56, of Uxbridge, was also charged.

Chin's plea agreement means the government will recommend a sentence of between six and 12 months in jail. For Cesan, the government will recommend a sentence of between 10 and 16 months.

Theft of government funds can land someone in prison for up to 10 years, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss.

A hearing date has not yet been scheduled for the two men.

Related

• 3 MA State Troopers Arrested For Stealing Government Funds
• State Police's Latest Controversy Could Be Criminal
• State Police Reforms: Troop Eliminated, Body Cams, More
• State Police No. 2 Retires After Boss Does

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Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch