In 1984, Gauthe became the first Catholic priest in the United States to face a widely publicized criminal trial for child sexual abuse.
[4] In October 1984, Gauthe was charged with multiple counts of aggravated crimes against nature, committing sexually immoral acts with minors, aggravated rape (sodomizing a boy under the age of 12) and crimes of pornography involving juveniles, through pornographic photo sessions.
[5] In October 1985, Gauthe accepted a plea bargain, pleading guilty to child pornography, crime against nature, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Gauthe admitted to sexually abusing 37 children[7] and accepted a plea bargain in which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
[8] He was released in 1995 after serving 10 years of his sentence,[8] then moved to Texas, where he was later charged with sexually abusing a 3-year-old boy.