Johnson County Sheriff Adam King has been re-indicted on felony retaliation and tampering with evidence charges and is back in jail as prosecutors prepare to retry the high-profile case that ended in a mistrial earlier this month.
A Johnson County grand jury returned the new indictments on July 30. King surrendered to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office on Friday morning, but bonded out later that same day. According to his bond conditions, King will not be allowed to enter the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office or any other Johnson County building. Deputy Ben Arriola will serve as interim sheriff, Crime with Megs reported.
The re-indictment follows King’s nearly three-week trial, which ended on July 7 when jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on two counts of retaliation and one count of official oppression. A new trial is scheduled to begin on November 9 with jury selection.
If convicted on the new felony charges, King could face up to 10 years in prison.
Case Stems From Retaliation Allegations
Prosecutors allege King retaliated against former Chief Deputy James Saulter after Saulter reported allegations that the sheriff sexually harassed female employees at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
According to testimony presented during the first trial, Saulter reported the allegations to county officials and the Texas Rangers before he was placed on administrative leave and ultimately fired.
The prosecution argued King’s actions were retaliation against a whistleblower.
King has consistently denied the allegations.
During the first trial, his attorneys argued Saulter’s dismissal was unrelated to the whistleblower complaint and instead stemmed from an internal investigation into alleged timesheet irregularities. The defense rested without calling any witnesses, and King did not testify.
Previous Trial Ended in Mistrial
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, jurors deliberated for two days before the judge declared a mistrial after issuing an Allen charge encouraging further deliberations.
Following the mistrial, King called the outcome “a win” and said he intended to remain in office.
“We always felt confident that there would not be a conviction,” defense attorney William G. Mason said after the mistrial, per Fox 4 KDFW.
Saulter, meanwhile, said he accepted the outcome but expected the legal battle to continue.
“We just have to live with our justice system… We will live to fight another day,” Saulter said, per The Dallas Express.
Following the mistrial, Saulter also filed a separate civil petition seeking King’s removal from office under Texas law, alleging official misconduct, but the matter has not yet been heard in court.
Investigation Began in 2025
King was originally arrested in August 2025 after a grand jury indicted him on charges of official oppression, retaliation and sexual harassment involving multiple female employees at the sheriff’s office.
The indictment alleged King created a workplace environment involving unwanted sexual comments and attention toward female employees and later retaliated against Saulter after he reported the allegations.
Despite the pending criminal case, King has continued serving as Johnson County sheriff under court-imposed bond conditions that limit his contact with alleged victims while allowing him to perform official duties.
King has pleaded not guilty to the allegations. As with all criminal cases, the charges are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Provided by Dallas Express
