‘Troopergate’ statie wants probation
A disgraced ex-statie in the “Troopergate” overtime scandal is hoping a federal court considers a colleague’s sentence of probation in a state case last week when his own punishment is decided.
Daren DeJong, who pleaded guilty to a federal embezzlement charge in 2018 for his participation in the scandal has asked the court to consider the relevant “comparative sentence” received by ex-Lt. David Wilson in state court last week. Sentencing for DeJong had been scheduled Tuesday but is now off the calendar.
Wilson, who pleaded guilty to charges including larceny and procurement fraud for stealing $31,448 in overtime pay between 201516, was given a sentence of two years’ probation and 200 hours of community service last week by a Suffolk County Superior Court judge.
The sentence was similar to Wilson’s in the federal investigation, in which a U.S. District Court judge gave him one day deemed served in prison and two years of supervised release.
DeJong’s attorney Bradford Bailey filed a two-page supplemental sentencing memorandum late last week requesting the judge consider Wilson’s state sentence when he calculates DeJong’s federal one. Bailey’s client collected more than $14,000 in 2016 for overtime shifts he didn’t work by writing fake citations, false overtime paperwork and fraudulent payroll submissions, prosecutors said.
Bailey did not return a request for comment Tuesday.
DeJong’s sentencing was initially postponed last May when it was revealed at a hearing he was working with Attorney General Maura Healey’s office in a probe of the now-disbanded Troop E, which committed the illicit activity during scheduled patrols of the Massachusetts Turnpike.
“People come to Jesus in different ways and at different times,” Bailey told a federal judge of DeJong’s aid to state prosecutors at the sentencing last May.
DeJong’s latest request came a day before State Police announced 22 former members of Troop E face termination after an internal investigation into overtime abuse allegations.
The troopers were not named, and Gov. Charlie Baker punted Monday on a question asking if their identities should be released.
“I don’t know if there’s a legal issue associated with that or not,” Baker told a Herald reporter. “That would be the key issue from my point of view, so I can’t comment on that.”
In addition to the 22 active troopers, the department also announced Friday its findings that 14 retired former members of Troop E committed overtime abuse and that the State Retirement Board had been notified.
Both federal and state prosecutors said troopers in the scandal made six-figure salaries and tens of thousands of dollars more in other compensation. Wilson’s attorney said last week in court his client was in litigation over his $105,492 pension.
DeJong, who retired in March 2018, had an annual pension of $75,404.28, according to a 2019 payroll report.
A new sentencing date for DeJong has not been set by a federal judge.