BOSTON, MA — Retired state trooper Calvin Butner, 64, has been sentenced to three months in federal prison for his role in a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) bribery scheme, a case that has drawn criticism for abuse of public trust.
The former trooper appeared in U.S. District Court in Boston on Tuesday and was sentenced by Judge Indira Talwani to three months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, with the first three months on home confinement. This is significantly less than the 15 months sought by federal prosecutors.
Butner, who retired from the Massachusetts State Police, was part of a group that falsified CDL test results for at least 17 applicants—some of whom never took the test or failed it.
“At the end of my career, I got lazy,” Butner told the judge. “I didn’t do the right thing, and I let the citizens of the Commonwealth down.”
Butner pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to falsify records, three counts of falsifying records, and five counts of making false statements. Prosecutors revealed that he passed applicants as a favor to friends, customers, and acquaintances, using the code word “golden” to identify them.
A CDL is required for operating commercial vehicles like tractor-trailers, school buses, and delivery trucks, and the testing process is intended to ensure public safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Deitch described the conduct bluntly:
“Your honor, that is corruption, plain and simple.”
According to federal investigators, Butner joked in text messages with a co-conspirator about applicants’ lack of ability. In one message, he wrote, “This guy’s a mess … Lol. He owes u a prime rib 6inch.”
In sentencing, Judge Talwani acknowledged Butner’s long service and clean record, but stressed the seriousness of abusing a position of authority:
“The requirements of doing the job right are not to do those favors, and that you can’t cut corners for anybody.”
Butner collects an annual pension of over $72,000 and in 2022 earned $160,000, including base pay and other compensation.
No fine was imposed, though Butner will carry a criminal record. This is the second sentencing in the broader CDL fraud case. Former trooper Perry Mendes, 64, received one month in prison and two months home confinement last week.
Butner received numerous letters of support from family and friends. His daughter, Tanya Figueroa, wrote to the court that her father “has spent a lifetime following rules … bearing the burden of responsibility—often quietly, always completely.”
The CDL bribery scandal involved a 74-count federal indictment announced in January 2024 against six individuals in total. Investigations are ongoing.
