Investigations

On August 22, 2018, David Wilson, a former lieutenant with the Massachusetts State Police (MSP), was indicted in U.S. District Court, Boston, Massachusetts, on one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving Federal funds. The indictment is connected to an ongoing investigation of overtime abuse at the MSP. Wilson was previously charged by a criminal complaint and arrested on June 27, 2018.

 

Wilson was assigned to the MSP’s Troop E, which was responsible for enforcing criminal law and traffic regulations along the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). He served as the officer-in-charge of several overtime shifts and allegedly received overtime pay for shifts authorized by the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort (AIRE) program. However, he either did not work those shifts or departed from them early.

 

AIRE aims to reduce accidents, crashes, and injuries on I-90 through an enhanced presence of MSP troopers, who target vehicles traveling at excessive speeds. Wilson was required to work his entire shift and accurately report the date, time, and sector of his deployment on citations issued during the shift. He allegedly concealed the fraud by submitting citations that were issued outside of the overtime shifts, altered to suggest they had been issued during an overtime shift, or never issued at all.

 

The MSP routinely receives DOT grants to enforce traffic regulations on pubic roadways.

 

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints, are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.