Overtime Scam: State Trooper Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement

BOSTON, MA — A retired Massachusetts State Police Trooper pleaded guilty Monday to embezzlement in connection with the ongoing investigation of overtime abuse at the Massachusetts State Police. It was a scandal that rocked the Massachusetts State Police and prompted the disbanding of a Troop and GPS units to be required on State Police cruisers.

Daren DeJong, 57, of Uxbridge, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. DeJong was arrested on July 25, 2018, and indicted on Sept. 6, 2018. He is set to be sentenced May 1.

So far, eight MSP troopers have been charged in the investigation, seven of whom have pleaded guilty or have agreed to do so.

There are 46 current and former department members suspected of overtime shift fraud and whose names were referred to the United States Attorney and state Attorney General for criminal investigation.

According to court documents, DeJong was a Trooper assigned to Troop E, which is responsible for enforcing criminal law and traffic regulations along the Massachusetts Turnpike, Interstate I-90.

DeJong received overtime pay for hours that he either did not actually work at all, or shifts in which he departed one to seven hours early.

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The conduct involved overtime pay for selective enforcement initiatives, including the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort program and the “X-Team” initiative. Both initiatives are intended to reduce accidents, crashes, and injuries on I-90 through an enhanced presence of MSP Troopers and targeting speeding cars.

DeJong was required to work the entire duration of the shifts – either four or eight hours – and truthfully report the date, time and sector of deployment on the citations issued during the shift. DeJong concealed the fraud by submitting citations that were issued prior to the overtime shift, altered the citations to create the appearance that citations were issued during the overtime shift, and submitted citations that were never issued and never took place.

DeJong earned $200,416 in 2016, which included approximately $68,394 in overtime, of which more than $14,000 was attributable to AIRE and X-Team shifts that DeJong either left early or did not show up for.

In 2015 and 2016, MSP received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation in excess of $10,000, which were funded by federal grants.

The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss.

Catch up on the State Trooper overtime scandal:

• 3 MA State Troopers Arrested For Stealing Government Funds
• State Police Scandal Update: GPS On Cruisers, Troop E
• State Police Reforms: Troop Eliminated, Body Cams, More

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Photo by Jenna Fisher, Patch staff