The Trigg County Sheriff who unexpectedly offered his resignation on August 6 has been indicted by a grand jury on a felony charge.
The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office said that a Trigg County Grand Jury indicted former Trigg County Sheriff Jason Barnes, 50, of Gracey, for unlawful transaction with a minor, a class A misdemeanor, for providing alcohol to a person under 21, and tampering with physical evidence, a class D felony.
An investigation by Kentucky State Police, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky found that in February 2020 Barnes provided alcohol to a person under the age of 21. Authorities also “discovered that several months later, during the investigation, he knowingly practiced deceit with the intent to affect the testimony of a potential witness.”
Barnes’ resignation is effective August 31, 2020. He has been Trigg County Sheriff since 2018.
“Any individual who tampers with a witness and facilitates underage drinking must be held accountable for their crimes, especially members of the law enforcement community,” Attorney General Cameron said. “I am grateful for the investigative work of our law enforcement partners, including the Kentucky State Police, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, as well as the work of our Office of Special Prosecutions to bring charges in this case.”
The Attorney General’s Office of Special Prosecutions was appointed to handle the case. Assistant Attorney General Alexander Garcia will prosecute the case on behalf of the Commonwealth.
A warrant has been issued for Barnes’ arrest, and a full cash bond is set at $2,500.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
