A former Seminole police officer accused of attempting to touch a female without her consent and asking another female to disrobe while he was on duty has entered a plea deal with the State of Oklahoma.

Zackery Dennis, 33, was charged in March with a felony count of assault with intent to commit a felony and a misdemeanor count of acts resulting in gross injury/outraging public decency. The felony carried a fine of $500 and up to five years in prison or one year in the county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment. The punishment for the misdemeanor was a fine of up to $500, up to one year in the county jail or both.

According to court documents, Dennis entered a plea of guilty to both charges on May 6. Under the plea agreement, he will receive a two-year deferred sentence for the felony, a one-year suspended sentence for the misdemeanor and two years of probation under the supervision of the Seminole County District Attorney. A pre-sentence investigation has been ordered in the case, and sentencing has been set for 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 1 at the county courthouse. The case is on District Judge Timothy Olsen’s docket.

Allegations of lewd behavior while on the job surfaced against Dennis on Jan. 26, 2018. He was relieved of his duties as a police officer three days later after being initially placed on modified duty. He had been with the department for only a short time and was still in his probationary period at the time of his termination. According to Seminole City Manager Steve Saxon, the Fraternal Order of Police challenged the termination and the first arbitration hearing was held March 1, 2019. City officials referred the case to the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation.

In March 2019, Dennis was charged with two felony counts of assisting lewd exhibition, but those charges were dismissed. New charges were filed on March 10, 2021 and a trial had been scheduled for May 24. According to court records, Dennis waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

In the plea paperwork, Dennis stated the following: “On January 26, 2018 in Seminole County, Oklahoma I attempted to touch G.W. without her consent and intended to commit a felony. On Nov. 21, 2017 in Seminole County, Oklahoma, I asked K.D. to disrobe in my presence while on duty as a police officer.”

Tara Portillo of the Pontotoc District Attorney’s Office represented the state in the case. Dennis, now a resident of Missouri, is represented by Gary James of Oklahoma City.