Massachusetts State Police Trooper Leigha A. Genduso was suspended without pay in February after it became public that she participated in a large-scale drug operation. For the first time since her suspension, Genduso is speaking publicly.

"I feel like I'm being hung out to dry because of mistakes in my past," Genduso told the Boston Globe in her first media interview since her suspension. "Nobody's perfect, and basically everyone messes up."

In her early 20s, Genduso was dating Sean Bucci, an aspiring DJ funding his hobby through drug dealing.

The two lived together in a house Bucci owned in North Reading, a home that was eventually forfeited to the government following a conviction on drug trafficking charges.

After the couple were arrested, Genduso decided to testify against Bucci. On the witness stand, Genduso testified that she help deal marijuana - gift-wrapping packages for distribution - smoked pot then on a near daily basis and helped Bucci launder money.

Genduso was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony, which led to a 10-year sentence for Bucci.

Within a year of the trial, Genduso found work as a civilian dispatcher. She applied for the Massachusetts State Police in 2012 - five years following her testimony - and in 2014, she became a trooper.

She acknowledged on her application previous drug use - marijuana - in 1999, when she was a teen, but declined to mention her role in the drug dealing operation in following years.

Genduso told the Globe she "answered the questions," and "had a background investigation like everybody else did."

She has declined her hiring process was given special treatment and a State Police investigation into her hiring remains ongoing.

At the time of her hiring, she was in a serious relationship with Daniel Risteen, a then-major with the State Police. Genduso told the Globe they broke up in October, months before Risteen announced his sudden retirement in February - as Genduso was being placed on unpaid leave.

Risteen, a lieutenant colonel at the time of his retirement, served as commander of the field services division. He retired alongside Major Susan Anderson, commander of Troop C in Central Massachusetts.

Both top State Police officials are tied to the ongoing scandal connected to the arrest of Alli Bibaud, the daughter of Judge Timothy Bibaud.

Genduso's background first came under scrutiny after a post on the blog Turtleboy Sports called attention to it.

Genduso's hiring, the Bibaud arrest fallout are among numerous scandals the department has faced in recent months.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced Monday the dissolution of Troop E, which primarily manages patrols along the Massachusetts Turnpike, after alleged payroll discrepancies were discovered.

Thirty troopers assigned to patrol shifts during specialized enforcement on the Mass. Pike have been investigated for allegedly filing for overtime shifts they did not work.

"The number of missing shifts range from as few as one to as high as 100," Massachusetts State Police Col. Kerry Gilpin said last month.

An investigation into Troop F, which primarily patrols Boston Logan International Airport, is underway after payroll data was not publicly shared.

Some members of the troop made more than $300,000 during the 2017 calendar year, thanks in large part to overtime shifts.

More than 50 state troopers received upwards of $200,000 in pay during the 2017 calendar year. Thomas Coffey, a detective lieutenant with Troop F was one of the top earners in the state last year. He received $351,773 in total pay in 2017, including 137,091 in overtime.

Baker and Gilpin announced a series of reforms Monday, including activating GPS technology in police cruisers and developing a body camera program.