Press Releases

Former Barre City Police Officer Convicted Of Unlawful Trespass, Unlawful Mischief, And Resisting Arrest

CONTACT: Evan Meenan, Assistant Attorney General, (802) 828-5512

May 24, 2012

Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell announced today that after a jury trial Zak Winston, a former Barre City Police Department Officer, was found guilty of Unlawful Trespass, Unlawful Mischief, and Resisting Arrest. The jury also found Mr. Winston not guilty of Burglary.

According to papers filed in court and the evidence presented at trial, on January 3, 2011, Mr. Winston entered his neighbor’s apartment at around 2:30 a.m. without permission or the lawful authority to do so. Afterwards, he threw the television that was just stolen from his neighbor’s apartment into the Winooski River. In addition, he unlawfully resisted the efforts of two Montpelier Police Department Officers to arrest him.

Mr. Winston will be sentenced at a later date after the Department of Corrections completes a pre-sentence investigation report. Mr. Winston faces up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of not more than $3,500.00.