The case against former Trigg County Sheriff Jason Barnes is heading to trial late this year.
Barnes, his defense attorney David Rye, and Special Prosecutor Alex Garcia appeared virtually before Trigg Circuit Judge Woody Woodall Wednesday. Rye said a resolution had not been made with the Commonwealth in the case.
After a little back and forth on possible trial dates, Judge Woodall set the one-day jury trial to begin the morning of Monday, December 27.
A pretrial date for the case was also set for the afternoon of Wednesday, October 13.
Barnes resigned as Trigg County Sheriff midway through his first term on August 31, 2020, after being 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 allege Barnes provided alcohol to a person under 21 in February 2020 while sheriff. They also add during the investigation, he knowingly practiced “deceit with the intent to affect the testimony of a potential witness.”
The victim, Layla Kunkle, has filed a federal lawsuit against Barnes, three members of his department, and a former Cadiz Police officer, saying they groomed her for sex while she was interning through a high school program.
Barnes remains free on bond.
