A former Jackman physician assistant has been arrested in New Orleans after allegations he sexually assaulted a young patient over a three-year period about two decades ago in Jackman.
Gerald Keenan, 64, faces a charge of gross sexual assault and is being taken to Somerset County, where he is expected to appear in court Wednesday, said Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland.
According to NOLA.com, Keenan was the boy’s doctor at the Jackman Community Health Center between 1998 and 2001, when the alleged assaults took place.
An affidavit written by a Maine State Police detective said the assaults took place at the boy’s home and Keenan’s home from the time the boy was 10 to when he was 13, NOLA.com said.
In 2017 Keenan contacted his alleged victim, now an adult, via Facebook, acknowledged the assaults and apologized.
The man arranged a FaceTime video call with him, recorded it and provided the call to Maine State Police along with the Facebook messages, according to NOLA.com.
The website also reported Keenan is the director of the University of Holy Cross’ physician assistant program in New Orleans and was put on administrative leave effective immediately Friday.
Jessica Pierce, a spokeswoman for the university, did not respond immediately Tuesday afternoon to a phone call seeking comment.
Kristy Griffin, practice coordinator at the Jackman Community Health Center, said she was not familiar with Keenan, and his employment at the clinic would have been when it was under different ownership.
The clinic formerly was owned by MaineGeneral Health but was purchased in 2013 by Penobscot Community Health Care.
Rachel Ohm — 612-2368
Twitter: @rachel_ohm
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