A plea agreement in the case of former Trigg County Sheriff Jason Barnes could be reached next year, according to his lawyer.
Barnes, his attorney David Rye, and Special Prosecutor Alex Garcia appeared virtually before Circuit Court Judge C.A. Woodall Wednesday. Rye told Judge Woodall an offer had been extended to the Commonwealth to resolve the case.
Judge Woodall scheduled another pretrial conference for Wednesday afternoon, January 13, to see if the attorneys can reach an agreement.
In August, Barnes was indicted by a Trigg County grand jury on one count of third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor and one count of tampering with a witness.
A joint investigation by Kentucky State Police, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky alleges Barnes provided alcohol to a person under the age of 21 in February, while sheriff. They also charge that several months later, during the investigation, he knowingly practiced what they called “deceit with the intent to affect the testimony of a potential witness.”
Barnes remains free on bond.
He resigned midway through his first term on August 31.