A 21-year-old Paducah woman who had been serving as a caregiver to a 15-year-old is now facing a slate of felony charges, including rape and sodomy, after McCracken County investigators say she sent the teen nude images of herself and started a sexual relationship with them. Katelyn Stults was arrested on Oct. 22 and booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail.
According to WPSD Local 6, McCracken County Sheriff's Office deputies and detectives opened their investigation into Stults on Oct. 17 after receiving an allegation of improper conduct with a juvenile. Investigators determined that Stults, who had been caring for the 15-year-old, sent nude images of herself to the teen and initiated a sexual relationship with them, the station reported.
Arrest Warrant Leads to Jail Booking
Deputies arrested Stults pursuant to an arrest warrant on Oct. 22 and incarcerated her in the McCracken County Regional Jail, per the same WPSD account. Stults was identified as a Paducah resident, according to The West Kentucky Star, which also confirmed her role as caregiver to the 15-year-old.
The case carries a lengthy list of charges. Per a post from the McCracken County Sheriff's Office, Stults was charged with three counts of third-degree rape and one count of third-degree sodomy, while WPSD's reporting lists the sodomy count as a single charge alongside the same three rape counts — accounts that align on the overall count but differ slightly in how the charges were described. The sheriff's office is led by Sheriff Ryan Norman.
Additional Counts Tied to Images and Address Records
Beyond the rape and sodomy charges, the station's report indicates Stults also faces two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a minor and six counts of distribution of obscene matter to a minor. She was additionally charged with failure to notify the Department of Transportation of an address change, the outlet noted.
Under Kentucky law, both third-degree rape and third-degree sodomy are classified as Class D felonies, according to the Kentucky General Assembly's statutes governing rape and sodomy offenses.
Not the First McCracken County Case Involving a Minor
The Stults arrest comes about a month after another McCracken County case drew similar charges. In September 2025, Julio Estrada, 30, of Reidland, was arrested at his home in a separate investigation involving a minor, according to KFVS12. Estrada was charged with four counts of third-degree rape and one count of first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, and the sheriff's office said that investigation remained ongoing with assistance from the Paducah Police Department and McCracken County Public Schools, per KFVS12.
