Crooked troopers still enjoying payouts

The most important question now is, are the crooked state troopers going to keep their bloated pensions after stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the taxpayers they so enjoyed pulling rank on over the years?

We know they’re all guilty – that’s why they’re pleading out every day in federal court and doing the perp walk outside on Northern Avenue.

We know they’re all headed for Club Fed – even if it’s only for a few months (and as bad as a few months in the can are for anybody, I’m pretty sure they’re worse for a cop, even a dirty MSP trooper).

I emailed the crooked MSP yesterday, asking for an update on pension forfeitures. Oddly, they did not respond.

But the Mass. Retirement Board did reply promptly, through a spokesman for the state treasurer.

She said the crooked troopers “have been notified that we are aware of the situation and that the board reserves the right to strip them of their pensions under the forfeiture provisions.”

Great, I emailed back, up to a point. But are you planning on exercising the right, as opposed to reserving the right, to strip the bent cops of their ill-gotten gains?

“They need to be sentenced first,” she said, “and then a hearing will be scheduled to make a determination about pension forfeiture.”

I thought of another question. If/when they lose their pensions, do the crooked cops get back the money they paid into the system? And if they collected pensions for awhile, is the money they grabbed subtracted from the refund?”

“Yes to both.”

I raise these questions after a third trooper has now pleaded guilty to stealing overtime — $12,468 – out on the Turnpike. He “worked” at Troop E, which much like the Winter Hill Gang has been disbanded, and for the same reason. Both mobs overplayed their hands. Criminals can only survive if they don’t get too greedy.

Troop E is dead, long live Troop H. (The “H” stands for honest.)

Gary Herman made $106,728 last year, which I’m guessing doesn’t include overtime. He follows in the crooked footsteps of Trooper Gregory Raftery, who stole $51,337. Raftery be sentenced March 25, which means he’s in line to get at least six more kisses in the mail before reporting to Club Fed.

And they’re nice wet kisses too – for a few more months, Raftery’s pension is $72,205, which works out to six grand a month. What’s your pension going to be? And I’ll bet you never embezzled anything close to 50 large.

Then there’s Kevin Sweeney. He missed the boat too. He’s suspended and he hasn’t filed for his free money. Last year he made $113,259.

I wonder what ex-Lt. David Wilson is planning to do, plea-wise. I’m guessing they have him cold. Gonna be a real bummer for Wilson, losing his pension of $105,492 a year. When you’re getting eight grand a month, it’s probably not gonna take him too long to go into the red on his own contributions to the pension fund.

I guess that’s my next question for the retirement board – if the crooked cops end up owing you, do you put a lien on their homes? Do you garnish the 30 cents an hour they’ll be making at the license-plate factory at the prison?

How about Darren DeJong, another “decorated” (they’re all decorated, you know) ex-trooper now looking at a good long stretch? Awaiting trial, he’s grabbing a $75,014-a-year pension.

I actually had another question for the crooked MSP yesterday. You recall Leigha Genduso, the admitted drug dealer, perjurer, money-launderer and income-tax evader that they welcomed with open arms?

As soon as that scandal began erupting – thank you turtleboysports.com – the top brass at the MSP stampeded the exits. Here are their annual pension takes: Richard McKeon $169,776, Dan Risteen, $159,999 and Francis Hughes $174,478.

I asked how the MSP’s no-doubt extremely thorough probe into how a career criminal and drug kingpin like Genduso got hired by the top brass, one of whom was her boyfriend, was coming along. Here’s what I wrote the crooked MSP:

“Are there any worries that given what “retired” brass know – McKeon said publicly he routinely broomed cases for connected people for decades – is there concern even more scandals could wrack your corrupt department if you start taking away the pensions of these disgraced hacks?”

There was no response.

I wonder if all these people will be easier to reach soon through the bop.gov website – Bureau of Prisons.

(Buy Howie’s book, Kennedy Babylon, at howiecarrshow.com.)