Retired state Trooper Perry Mendes on Thursday became the sixth person to plead not guilty in a scheme involving the approval of commercial driver’s licenses by members of the Massachusetts State Police in exchange for gifts.
Mendes, 63, of Wareham, was released after he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion, conspiracy to falsify records, falsification of records, and false statements in federal court in Boston.
In a statement, Mendes’s lawyer, Brad Bailey, said his client “expressly denies the allegations against him and emphatically asserts his innocence,” and plans to wage “a vigorous defense.”
“His 37 years of dedicated service and exemplary commitment as a public safety official speaks loudly, and clearly, for itself,” Bailey’s statement said.
A 74-count indictment alleges that Mendes and three other members of the State Police Department’s commercial driver’s licensing unit conspired to give licenses to people who didn’t pass the required tests in exchange for gifts, such as a snow blower and bottled water. Two other men were also charged with participating in the scheme. Prosecutors allege that more than two dozen people were given commercial licenses over about five years without passing the tests, or in some cases without even taking them.
The state Registry of Motor Vehicles has since stripped the illegally-issued licenses.
The six men were arrested Jan. 30. Mendes was arrested in Florida.
At Thursday’s hearing, US Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein ordered that Mendes must turn in the three firearms that he owns, and restricted him from traveling outside the United States. He cannot apply for a passport, and he must not have any contact with his co-defendants or witnesses in the case.
The others charged in the case include former State Police officers Gary Cederquist, 58, of Stoughton; Joel Rogers, 54, of Bridgewater; and Calvin Butner, 63, of Halifax.
Cederquist and Rogers, who were still on the force, retired following their arrests and were dishonorably discharged, according to the State Police.
The other two men indicted were Scott Camara, 42, of Rehoboth, who worked at a commercial driving school in Brockton, and Eric Mathison, 47, of Boston, whom prosecutors describe as Cederquist’s friend.
Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her @talanez.