Mississippi man sentenced for his role in CDL skills test fraud scheme

A Mississippi man was sentenced on Friday, Dec. 14, for his role in a CDL skills test fraud scheme. One other person who has pleaded guilty is still awaiting sentencing.

Benjamin James McGrigg was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment, three years supervised release and ordered to pay $13,500 in restitution. McGrigg changed his plea to guilty in August.

For a two-year period from August 2014 to September 2016 in Hinds County, Miss., Robert Anthony Davis and McGrigg, falsified skills test score sheets while failing to administer the driver skill and road tests, according to the federal indictment.

McGrigg and Davis would grant the fraudulent test scores in exchange for cash. The federal indictment details eight separate occasions where fraudulent score sheets were handed out. However, a U.S. Department of Transportation news release states that approximately 65 CDL skills test applicants were given fraudulent skills test scores.

Both McGrigg and Davis were indicted on March 7 on five separate counts related to false and fraudulent statements. Subsequently, each were charged with three of the five counts, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., false statements and destruction, altercation and falsification of records in a federal investigation.

In August, McGrigg pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying documents, effectively dismissing the remaining four counts. In October, Davis followed suit and pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying documents. Davis’ sentencing has been rescheduled to Feb. 15.

More chicanery:

• Owner of Washington DOT drug screening company pleads guilty to fake lab reports

• Georgia doctor, Mark Griffis, sentenced for falsifying DOT exams