Former KY wrestling coach charged with sexually abusing girl
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- Former coach Thomas Ketchen-Carter arrested on 15 rape counts and one sodomy charge.
- Court records say sexual relationship began in May 2025 after Instagram messages.
- Ketchen-Carter was booked on $500,000 bond; preliminary hearing set for Friday.
A former private wrestling coach in Kentucky has been charged with rape and sodomy after police say he sexually abused a 15-year-old girl he was coaching, according to court documents.
Thomas Ketchen-Carter, 23, of Alexandria, is charged with 15 counts of third-degree rape and one count of third-degree sodomy, according to court records. He previously coached for Spatola Wrestling, a private wrestling facility in Northern Kentucky. The club confirmed he no longer coaches there.
“The safety and well-being of our athletes is our highest priority,” Spatola Wrestling said in a statement posted on Facebook. “We are committed to maintaining a safe and professional environment for every athlete and family in our program.”
Court documents say Ketchen-Carter’s abuse of the girl began in May 2025, when they talked on Instagram about having sex. He and the girl then had sex multiple times at her house when her parents weren’t home over the course of the next month.
Ketchen-Carter was arrested Feb. 19 and booked into the Boone County Jail on a $500,000 bond, according to court records. His next scheduled court appearance is a preliminary hearing Friday.
Before his coaching job, Ketchen-Cater won the 160-pound wrestling state championship in 2021 as a senior at Campbell County High School. He went on to wrestle collegiately for the University of Cumberlands, where was a three-time NAIA National Championship qualifier and two-time all-Mid-South Conference wrestler.
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 11:37 AM.
