Somersworth man fined $620 for causing ruckus at polls during Nov. 5 election

SOMRSWORTH - A Somersworth man has pleaded guilty to Disorderly Conduct at the polls during the November General Election.

Frank Gauthier, 65, was sentenced in Dover District Court to one Class B misdemeanor count of Disorderly Conduct. As a result he was ordered to pay a $500 fine and $120 penalty assessment. Gauthier was also complete 50 hours of community service, write apology letters to Ward 3 Moderator Thomas Curtain and election volunteer Kerry West; and to have no further contact with Curtain or West for a period of two years.

During the Nov. 5 State General Election, Gauthier arrived at the Somersworth Ward 3 polling location after the polls had closed at 7 p.m. When election workers informed Gauthier that he had arrived too late to vote in the election, he became disorderly and began shouting and making obscene statements, according to a release from the state Attorney General's office. Gauthier continued to behave disorderly after election workers asked him to leave.

The incident occurred at the Somersworth Ward 3 polling place.