Press Release  Former RMV Employee Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to Jail in Connection with Taking Money from Multiple Inspection Station Owners

Dedham — A former employee of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced in connection with taking money from multiple inspection station owners through extortion and larcenous schemes, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Steven J. King, age 49, of Marshfield, pleaded guilty today to the charges of Attempted Extortion (9 counts), Larceny by False Pretenses (9 counts), and Use of Official Position to Secure an Unwarranted Privilege (3 counts) in Norfolk Superior Court.

After the plea was entered, Judge Beverly Cannone sentenced King to six months in the House of Correction, with 30 days committed and the balanced suspended for three years. King was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $32,125.

“This individual abused his position as a field investigator at the RMV to take money from hardworking business owners for his own personal use,” AG Healey said. “He threatened station owners with violations and led them to believe they needed to pay him money when in fact they did not. Our office will prosecute individuals who abuse their positions for their own personal benefit at the expense of others.”

King was indicted in December 2014 in connection with taking money from inspection station owners in Quincy, Milton, Canton, and Randolph. He was subsequently indicted in March 2015 for taking money from two Marshfield station owners and in May 2015 for taking money from a Stoughton station owner.

The AG’s Office began an investigation in February 2014 after the matter was referred by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the RMV. From October 2006 to October 2014, King was an RMV field investigator who was assigned to oversee stations that were licensed to do vehicle inspections. His job was to ensure that inspection stations were complying with RMV rules and regulations.

The Massachusetts RMV, which reported this misconduct to the AG’s Office, cooperated fully and provided assistance throughout the investigation.

Authorities found that between 2010 and 2013, King took more than $30,000 from 12 inspection station owners using various schemes, one in which he threatened station owners with violations or with shutting down their inspection machines unless they paid him money. In another scheme, he falsely told station owners that he needed money in exchange for assisting them with the process of applying for an inspection license. 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jim O’Brien of AG Healey’s White Collar and Public Integrity Division with assistance from investigators in AG Healey’s Financial Investigator Division including Director Sallyann Nelligan, Victim Advocate Amber Anderson and State Police assigned to the Attorney General’s Office.

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