Summary

On May 18, 2010, in U.S. District Court, Jackson, Mississippi, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Joseph L. Rigby; Captain (Retired) Johnny D. Rawls; Lieutenant James C. Smith and Master Sergeant Darrell D. Walker, all of whom were Troopers assigned to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Services were indicted on multiple counts of making false statements related to commercial driver's license (CDL).

This investigation was predicated as a result of a request for assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) regarding allegations that State troopers had aided and abetted others in creating false CDL test scores to obtain CDLs, and operational enhancements, such as, HAZMAT and passenger endorsements, without going through the mandated state and Federal testing requirements.  The troopers were also alleged to have aided and abetted others in altering CDL driver records to reduce speeding infractions to lesser charges and altered the guilty judicial dispositions of driver records to aid and abet others from receiving judgments in accordance with the State of Mississippi's due process of law.  If convicted, the troopers are each subject to fines and a maximum of five years imprisonment.

Analysis of the Commercial Driver Licensing System and the National Driver Registry is ongoing to determine if additional alterations were made to driver records by other public service personnel and state troopers working for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.  OIG is coordinating with the FMCSA Southern Service Center (SSC) to correct the driver records in an effort to mitigate any public safety concerns. This investigation is being conducted jointly with the FBI and MBI.  The assistance garnered from the FMCSA SSC and their Headquarters has been instrumental to the progress of the investigation.

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