Clinton, Tennessee – An Anderson County Grand Jury have returned indictments against Zachary Gauthier, age 34, on 23 counts of Official Misconduct. This matter arose from complaints within the police department. The Oak Ridge Police Department contacted District Attorney General Clark for an independent investigation of the allegations. Following that investigation, the case was presented to the Anderson County Grand Jury which has returned indictments against the Defendant. Gauthier is no longer employed at the Oak Ridge Police Department and was terminated prior to the Grand Jury indictments.

The charges of Official Misconduct are categorized as an E felony. Defendant has been booked into the Anderson County Detention Facility on a $50,000 bond.

District Attorney General Dave Clark said “it is a sad day when a law enforcement officer has to be charged with a crime. But, it should also be recognized that it is good that police agencies demand as much or more from their officers as they do the public.”

The following statement can be attributed to Oak Ridge Police Chief Robin Smith on behalf of the Oak Ridge Police Department:

The Oak Ridge Police Department holds its officers to the highest standards of professionalism, values, and integrity. In light of the recent indictments returned by the Anderson County Grand Jury against former officer Zachary Gauthier, I want to make clear that our department took prompt and appropriate action as soon as we became aware of the allegations.

Based on the findings of an internal investigation into allegations of unbecoming conduct, Zachary Gauthier was terminated immediately on April 24, 2025.

Following our internal review, the matter was referred to the District Attorney General’s Office for independent investigation. That investigation led to the charges now pending against Gauthier. He was no longer employed by the Oak Ridge Police Department at the time the indictments were returned.

While we cannot comment further on the specifics of the legal proceedings, we want to assure the public we take these matters seriously and remain committed to transparency, accountability, and the values that guide our service to this community.

We support the justice system’s responsibility to uphold the law, and we believe that public trust depends on holding both ourselves and others to the highest ethical standards.