By Scott White
Woodford Sun Staff
A former emergency medical technician (EMT) employed by Woodford County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) filed a lawsuit against Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay and Woodford County alleging she was the victim of sexual harassment by three co-workers, which violated her civil rights and caused ACher to be constructively discharged. Kay and the Fiscal Court have been named solely in their official capacity, which was confirmed by Eric Branco, counsel for the plaintiff.
The lawsuit alleges EMT Naomi Branham was harassed by Najay King, a fulltime paramedic with Woodford County EMS. He resigned on Oct. 8, 2025, following the completion of its investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment against him.
Branham also alleges she was sexually harassed by EMT Nathan Shouse and paramedic Brandon Bowman. In the records obtained from the county, both Shouse and Bowman deny sexually harassing Branham, and there are no records in their personnel files indicating they were disciplined as a result of the allegations.
The lawsuit alleges a history of sexual harassment during Branham’s employment with Woodford County EMS, including King sending her photographs and videos of his penis over social media, and Shouse and Bowman each sending her an inappropriate, sexually charged text.
According to records obtained by the Sun from the county via an open records request, a Versailles Police officer told Woodford County EMS Director Freeman Bailey that an employee, Najay King, was “sending naked pictures and videos” to EMT Naomi Branham.
Bailey met with Branham in August 2025 to ask about what the Versailles Police officer told him. During the meeting, Branham told Bailey that she had not informed him about the harassing texts she received from her co-workers because she didn’t want anyone to get in trouble, she didn’t make the complaint and tried to ignore it. Branham was asked if she worked with King since the first picture of his penis was sent and she told Bailey that she had, and still felt comfortable working with him.
According to the complaint, Bailey followed up their meeting with a text to Branham asking her not to “talk to anyone about our conversation. Just making sure we don’t create any confusion or trouble for anybody. Thanks.”
On Oct. 11, 2025, Bailey and EMS Assistant Director Kent Berry met with Branham in Bailey’s office. During the one-hour meeting, which was videotaped, Branham talks only a few minutes.
Bailey and Berry tell Branham that King provided them with his phone and allowed screenshots to be taken of all texts or other media on it, and told them that he had not deleted anything from his phone. They also tell Branham that King denied sending her images of his penis; he thought they were just goofing around; and, he thought the two were close friends.
During the meeting, Bailey told Branham, “I honestly believe that he did not mean any harm to you. … just because the way it was — because again, his reading of the emails, everything that we had, all his Instagram, his emails, his text chains, everything. You two were best buddies. You even stated several times in there that you’re my best friend. So, I don’t think that it was malicious what he did. I think it was stupid.”
Berry said the texts over the last year and a half read like you all are best friends. “That’s what I thought,” Branham tells him. “… I think that I thought he was my friend and I think that he was taking advantage of that.”
During the meeting, Bailey and Barry tell Branham that this was a “he said, she said” situation, and the sending of the penis images on Snapchat (which allows the sender to have an image automatically deleted) could not be proven.
The meeting ended with Berry telling Branham, “Just, so you just. You’re young. You’re nineteen, twenty. You, you just started your career. Just be careful and you’ll be good. Just be smart.”
Beginning in 2022, Branham was a student in an EMT program offered at Woodford County High School. She got to know King because he was her “preceptor” in the program, but the lawsuit does not allege any inappropriate conduct while she was a student. Branham obtained her EMT certification in the program, and was hired as a part-time EMT at Woodford County EMS in October 2023.
There is no memorandum, notes, or recording provided to the Sun by the county of the interview of King. In an undated document on county letterhead paper which Bailey signed, it states “I had a phone conversation with (King) while I was in Teresa Tipton’s office (human resources) with Kent Berry present about the allegations against (King) by Branham, regarding the pictures and messages he had sent her and that were on his phone. (King) offered his phone records to us to show it was a back-and-forth relationship. I advised him that there could be some form of disciplinary action … On Oct. 8 (King) showed up at (the EMS building) and stated he thought it would be best to resign … I immediately accepted his resignation…”
In a memorandum dated Sept. 11, 2025, Bailey documented the investigation was over and made several findings, including. Shouse (and) Bowman did not have any text messages substantiating King’s allegations, but had “benign conversations in which (Branham) was a willing participant.” King “did admit to sending and receiving messages with (Branham), all consensual, which at times could be perceived as sexual humor . . . HR has screenshots of all these messages which are read as two best friends chatting.”
“The (messages) that could be seen between (Branham) and (King) read as consensual between two adults.” “The claims of a picture and a video of male genitalia, claiming to be (King)’s, which was reportedly seen by Branham and her current boyfriend (a VPD Officer), was not substantiated.”
“(Branham) never indicated to any of the employees questioned that any conversation was offensive.” … Through conversations with all the males, they advised (Branham) had shared, unsolicited, personal aspects of her life . . . including pictures of herself in the shower, from the neck up, and memes . . . and (Branham) substantiated this when questioned.” … All the male employees . . . stated they would cease to have any further conversations other than work related with (Branham).” … Confirmed all the employees involved were comfortable working with each other moving forward, including Branham. The memorandum concludes saying all employees were reminded of the county’s sexual harassment policy and the Department “will have a safe working environment, and that any employee who feels unsafe can rest assured that all complaints will be investigated thoroughly and without malice or retribution.” According to the records provided by the county, Branham met with county Human Resources Director Teresa Tipton to make a complaint of sexual harassment with Bailey and Berry, but she was told “if she said anything to anyone about her allegations, she would be fired. Said (the Department) found nothing wrong and the complaint was closed. She said King, Bowman and Shouse were included in this complaint . . . . She said no one was believing her. I told her the complaint was still being investigated but if she wanted to file a formal complaint, I would need it in writing and she said she would get it to me on 9-16.” Tipton also said her office was working on getting sexual harassment training “set up.” On Sept. 15, Branham emailed Tipton saying “when we spoke you mentioned time off if I needed it for mental health due to the current investigation at Woodford EMS,” and she was uncomfortable working her scheduled shifts. Tipton responded saying Branham was taken off the shifts, and for Branham to let them know when she would like to return. Branham has not returned to work at Woodford County EMS.
On Monday, Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay issued a statement. “I am aware of the lawsuit. Although I was named as a defendant in my official capacity as Woodford County Judge/Executive, that is merely a common legal formality in Kentucky when claims are asserted against a county. The lawsuit does not involve any allegations of personal wrongdoing against members of the Fiscal Court or me. At this point, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the specific details of the complaint. Silence should never be confused with inaction. To ensure this matter is addressed with the urgency and gravity it demands, I have called a Special Meeting of the Woodford County Fiscal Court. I fully understand the impact and concern for our community right now. I ask for your patience as the judicial process moves forward to examine all facts fully and fairly … We will navigate this process with transparency, dignity, and steady leadership.”
Barry Stiltz, the attorney for the county, said in a written statement to the Sun, “The inclusion of Judge Kay in his official capacity as a named Defendant is merely another way of asserting a claim against the County (i.e. there is absolutely no asserted claim of any personal wrongdoing against Judge Kay or any of the Magistrates for that matter). We don’t believe there is any merit to any of the claims asserted and intend to vigorously defend the County against these claims.”
“The thing that really kills me, and I think (Bailey and Berry are) not fired up about this, is that Naomi is so young. This was her first job in her field that she wanted to do, and it was in her hometown, where they, like, made a big show of being proud of her,” Branco said about the fallout Branham has experienced from the harassment. “It was clear that she was sacrificed to keep stuff from bubbling up . . . where you have them saying ‘the fire needs to be put out.”