Godley ISD trustee says she was targeted as prosecutors allege couple ran prostitution enterprise with police ties

A Godley couple is accused of running a prostitution enterprise tied to law enforcement and used to target political adversaries, according to prosecutors, in a widening investigation that has led to multiple arrests. 

Ashley Ketcherside, 41, and Michael Ketcherside, 52, are facing state racketeering charges, with authorities alleging their operation involved police officers and targeted local officials, including school board members and city leaders.

Whistleblower says feud escalated over years

Kayla Lain, a Godley ISD board trustee, became a central figure in the case after clashing with Ashley Ketcherside and later taking her concerns to the district attorney for Johnson and Somervell counties, positioning herself as both a whistleblower and an alleged victim.

"And it's very concerning to me that this has been going on for three years," Lain said. "And how many people were victimized by this couple?"

Lain said tensions grew when Families Engaged, a group she belonged to, learned Ashley Ketcherside had a criminal history of two prior prostitution convictions in Tarrant County. 

According to Lain, the Ketchersides had moved to Godley, and Ashley Ketcherside served on several committees, including the School Health Advisory Committee.

Concerns grow over school access

Ashley Ketcherside's access to girls in school settings – for cheerleading and at the elementary level – led the district to remove her from the committee before January of 2024. That was when the feud started to take shape.

"For whatever reason, she has targeted me for the last several years," Lain said.

Ashley Ketcherside launched a podcast, "Champagne and Pearls," in which she said she was determined to expose the truth. She spoke candidly and displayed social media posts from a woman she said she intended to pursue in court, including comments about what girls would learn from her at school.

Lain was a frequent topic, as she was also active in a community Facebook chat group. Ashley Ketcherside later sued Lain and seven others for injury to her reputation, but the case was dismissed.

Lain said someone discovered that Ashley Ketcherside was allegedly still active in her former life of sex work. The "former" wasn't as former as they believed, she said. Lain said they found an OnlyFans account, X accounts, escort reviews and more, all allegedly linked to Ashley Ketcherside, who used the name "Lola Brea."

Allegations of police involvement emerge

An unrelated issue, Lain said, gave her an opportunity to share the information with District Attorney Tim Good. She said she had also told former Godley Police Chief Matthew Cantrell and former Godley police officer Solomon Omotoya.

"And so I didn't know the involvement of the police officers, but I always speculated that they were at minimum covering for her because they refused to investigate," she said. "And now it's come out that they were involved. And so it's shocking, but not shocking to me."

Prosecutors allege that law enforcement officers played a role in the Ketchersides' led a prostitution enterprise and helped them target political opponents.

Search warrant executed at Ketcherside home

On March 31, Ashley Ketcherside posted home security footage online showing representatives from the DA's office and the Texas Department of Public Safety arriving at her Godley home with a search warrant. She told her supporters it would be a while before she could post again.

Omotoya. the former Godley police officer, was arrested the same day on allegations of solicitation and promotion of prostitution. He is out on bond. According to an arrest affidavit, he allegedly solicited Ashley Ketcherside for sex in exchange for yard work and babysitting her children. CBS News Texas attempted to reach Omotoya at home but was told he was not available.

More arrests follow as investigation widens

Michael Ketcherside was arrested on April 2. He initially faced the same charges as Omotoya before prosecutors added racketeering counts. The Ketchersides both declined interview requests from CBS News Texas. Both remain in jail; Michael on a $500,000 bond and Ashley on a $200,000 bond.

Cantrell, the former Godley police chief, was arrested on a charge of promotion of prostitution. The arrest warrant affidavit alleges that Cantrell had arranged for a man to be his wife's boyfriend for a $200 fee, and that Ashley Ketcherside coached her on prostitution-related activities. Cantrell is out on bond and had no comment.

Trustee says private photos were weaponized

Lain said that during the height of the feud, Ashley Ketcherside posted a personal photo of Lain in a swimsuit – an image the trustee said she had shared only with her husband.

"My husband and I have been married for 16 years. And so it's concerning to know that someone has dug around very intimate, private photos that were meant from a wife to a husband," she said. "And that they would use those maliciously to try to demolish someone's character. I'm definitely someone who takes my character very seriously."

DA says political figures were targeted

In a news release, District Attorney Good said political targets included members of the Godley ISD school board, the Godley City Council, a former mayor and a former police chief.

Lain believes someone at the Godley Police Department used their position to contact Google to access personal files and weaponize them. The arrest affidavit said Omotoya told investigators he would pull criminal histories on people involved in the Ketcherside lawsuit. He allegedly recalled doing so on the mayor, the city council and the police department. The former officer also claimed Cantrell used the same system to run background checks on men for his wife.

"And I really want for Godley to be Godly, and to be a town where we all feel safe to raise our kids," Lain said. "And we don't have to worry about police officers targeting citizens."