Testimony continued Wednesday in the criminal trial of Johnson County Sheriff Adam King, who faces two counts of retaliation and one charge of official oppression tied to a sexual assault investigation involving sheriff’s office employees. King has denied all allegations.
Proceedings
Before proceedings began, prosecutors raised concerns that King had been using his cellphone in the courtroom to send and receive texts — something they said other defendants are not permitted to do. King admitted to the judge that he was using the device, and the judge instructed him to turn it off.
The morning’s testimony focused on former Johnson County Chief Deputy James Saulter, who previously reported King to the Texas Rangers and was later terminated from his position. Prosecutors allege King engaged in verbal sexual harassment and made inappropriate comments to multiple female employees, leading to his indictment and arrest in August 2025.
Testimony and Cross-Examination
Saulter testified Wednesday as a continued witness for the state. He was fired in May after allegedly failing to attend a required internal affairs interview and facing accusations that included falsifying time sheets, disobeying a direct order, and failing to report part-time employment.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Mark Daniels questioned Saulter extensively about his outside work at the Texas Motorplex in Ellis County. Saulter said the side job had been approved by King. Daniels suggested Saulter was “double-dipping” by working two jobs and taking extended leave without properly reporting it, arguing the conduct demonstrated misconduct and possible ulterior motives in reporting King.
The defense also introduced a social media post by Saulter that included an AI-generated image depicting him in a leadership role within the sheriff’s office, with the word “Chief” on his vest. Daniels argued the post supported claims about Saulter’s ambitions.
Additional Allegations
Separately, attorneys on both sides addressed developments tied to additional allegations referenced in court filings. Those filings accuse King of having had an affair more than two decades ago that resulted in a child, and of making threats to the woman over the years to keep the matter secret, according to court filings obtained.
In court on Wednesday, King’s attorneys said they had subpoenaed the birth certificate of the now-young man in an effort to determine paternity. Prosecutors said they have a DNA sample from the individual and asked the judge to order King to provide a sample for comparison.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
