Former Trigg County Sheriff Jason Barnes entered a guilty plea to tampering with a witness and unlawful transaction with a minor Monday morning in Trigg Circuit Court.
Barnes appeared virtually along with defense attorney David Rye before Trigg Circuit Judge C.A. Woody Woodall, who explained the terms of the agreement—they include a recommended three-year sentence for tampering with a witness, and a 12-month sentence for third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, with the Commonwealth opposed to probation.
Judge Woody Woodall accepted Barnes’ plea, after questioning him thoroughly on if he admitted to committing the offenses.
Barnes remains out on bond, with the continued condition that he have no contact with the victim in the case. A final sentencing date was set for February 8.
The charges stemmed from an investigation conducted jointly by the Kentucky State Police, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, which found that in February of 2020, Barnes provided alcohol to a person under the age of 21.
They also discovered that several months later, during the course of 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.