UPDATE (9/27/2023 12:03 p.m.):

WESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has given more information about the arrest of Keefe Kiser.

According to a statement received from the DHHR, Kiser’s employment with William R. Sharp Jr. Hospital was terminated on April 7 “due to an internal investigation revealing inappropriate behavior towards staff.”

The statement went on to reveal that “on April 17, Sharpe Hospital became aware of an inappropriate relationship between Mr. Kiser and a former patient,” and that the hospital “promptly filed a report with Adult Protective Services (APS), initiated an internal investigation, informed the West Virginia State Police, and notified Disability Rights of West Virginia.”

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) will not tolerate patient abuse, patient neglect, or patient exploitation at any of its health care facilities. Employees or contract staff who engage in such offensive conduct will be terminated, referred to the appropriate authorities for prosecution, and turned over to the appropriate licensing boards for disciplinary action.

WV DHHR Statement

ORIGINAL (9/26/2023 11:18 a.m.):

WESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — A Lewis County man has been charged with imposition of sexual acts on an incarcerated individual by an employee in connection to incidents that State Police say happened at William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital back in March.

On April 17, troopers with the Lewis County detachment of the West Virginia State Police received a complaint from employees of Southern Regional Jail “in reference to an inmate at the facility having sexual relations with a male outside of the facility,” according to a criminal complaint.

Troopers then made contact with an investigator from the jail who had received information from another individual “of a romantic relationship between a female inmate at Southern Regional Jail” … “and a male civilian” who was identified as Keefe Kiser, 31, of Weston, troopers said.

During their investigation, troopers learned that Kiser was an employee of William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital while the victim was a patient of the facility, and the two had exchanged “handwritten letters” at some point, according to the complaint.

In a recorded interview, the victim confirmed “she had been in a relationship with Kiser,” and that Kiser’s role at Sharpe Hospital was to “watch patients which would include keeping a call log, as well as patrolling the hallways of the facility,” the complaint stated.

The victim stated that she and Kiser’s relationship “started out as just verbal, but then turned sexual some time in March,” and that she and Kiser “engaged in sexual intercourse approximately three times,” as well as other sexual activities while at Sharpe Hospital “inside of her room,” troopers noted.

In that same interview, the victim stated that “she decided to stop having a relationship with Kiser and that shortly after that, Kiser was assigned to a different section of the hospital,” according to the complaint.

Troopers were able to obtain seven handwritten letters from the investigator which were inside the victim’s personal property, and the “letters depict a male subject who makes references to working at William R. Sharpe Hospital” and also “make several references to sexual interactions between the author of the letters and the perceived recipient[the victim],” as well as asking “the recipient to be careful exchanging the letters and conversing for the fear of losing his employment,” troopers stated.

The victim was able to identify Kiser as “the male subject she was having sexual relations with,” and troopers attempted to make attempts to “reach out to Kiser, but did not have any contact,” the complaint stated.

Kiser has been charged with five counts of imposition of sexual acts on an incarcerated individual by an employee. He is being held in Central Regional Jail on a $25,000 bond.

12 News reached out to Sharpe Hospital asking about Kiser’s employment status but was told the hospital was unable to comment and referred to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. A DHHR employee then told 12 News to send an email requesting information. We are still waiting for a response to that email.

12 News will update this story if we receive a response from the DHHR.