The case against former Trigg County Sheriff Jason Barnes now heads to trial after parties were unable to come to a resolution.
Barnes appeared virtually in Trigg Circuit Court Wednesday with defense attorney David Rye, who informed the court that despite negotiations, they were unable to come to an agreed resolution and they would need a trial date.
Trial dates are filling up fast due to COVID-19 restrictions set by the Kentucky Supreme Court, so Judge C.A. Woody Woodall set trial to begin on December 27 with a final pretrial hearing set for October.
Barnes is charged with tampering with a witness and unlawful transaction with a minor.
As previously reported, an investigation conducted jointly by the Kentucky State Police, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky found that in February of 2020 Jason Barnes provided alcohol to a person under the age of 21. They also allegedly discovered that several months later, during the investigation, he knowingly practiced deceit with the intent to affect the testimony of a potential witness.
Barnes resigned from the Trigg County Sheriff’s Office in August of 2020.