Former DPS Trooper Pleads No Contest to Official Oppression in Taser Incident

On Wednesday, December 18, 2024, former Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Zachary Maini pled no contest to Official Oppression, a Class A misdemeanor, following an investigation into his use of force during a traffic stop.

The charge, filed on November 15, 2024, by the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, stemmed from an August 28, 2022, incident in which Maini used a Taser on Clateachia Stewart. Investigators alleged that Maini unlawfully deployed the device against Stewart when she was not engaged in threatening resistance.

As part of the plea agreement, Maini permanently surrendered his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) license on November 26, 2024, and agreed to two months of deferred adjudication community supervision.

The Texas Department of Public Safety referred the case to the Texas Office of Inspector General, which sustained four allegations against Maini, including misuse of his Taser. The Inspector General’s Office referred the case to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office on September 7, 2022.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza commented on the resolution, stating, “Our office will continue to hold powerful actors who engage in criminal conduct accountable. We hope this outcome will continue to help the victim with their healing process.”