Clinton, Tennessee (WOKI) – Today, March 23, 2026, Zachary D. Gauthier, age 35, pled guilty to twenty-three (23) counts of Official Misconduct which is a Class E Felony.
Mr. Gauthier received a Range I 2-year sentence on each one of the counts with forty-eight (48) hours to serve and remainder of the sentence suspended to supervised probation with judicial diversion once his probationary period is completed. As conditions of his plea, Mr. Gauthier is to obtain a mental health assessment and follow any treatment recommendations, stay away from and have no contact with the victims/witnesses, surrender/forfeit Peace Officer Standard and Training (POST) Certification and pay all of the court costs. Mr. Gauthier is a former Oak Ridge Police Officer.
Dave Clark, District Attorney General in Anderson County remarked “It is a sad but important day when a former law enforcement officer is found guilty of a crime. We must always demand the highest standards from those who are sworn to protect us. In this case, finding the appropriate penalty was also a difficult balance to strike. These offenses were non-violent, the defendant had lost his job and career and the other terms of the sentence were designed to balance all of the interests of justice and taxpayers’ dollars.” I am grateful for all of those involved in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”
