Investigations

Press Release - USAO, District of Massachusetts

On October 19, 2018, Eric Chin, a suspended Massachusetts State Police (MSP) trooper, and Paul Cesan, a retired MSP trooper, were each charged via information in U.S. District Court, Massachusetts, with one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving Federal funds. Cesan was previously arrested and charged by a criminal complaint in June 2018. 

Chin and Cesan were assigned to Troop E, which was responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic regulations along the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). According to the informations, both individuals were paid for overtime shifts that they either did not work at all or left early. Each is alleged to have concealed the scheme by submitting fraudulent citations that suggested they had worked overtime hours when they had not, and falsely claimed in MSP paperwork and payroll entries that they worked their entire overtime shifts. 

The overtime in question involved the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort program and the “X Team” initiative. These programs were intended to reduce accidents, crashes, and injuries on I-90 by increasing the presence of MSP troopers who target vehicles traveling at excessive speeds. 

In 2016, MSP received more than $10,000 in DOT grants, which funded its annual benefits program.

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation jointly with the FBI. 

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