A Crawfordsville man is facing multiple felony charges in Oklahoma following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct at a regional hospital.
Fifty-seven-year-old Michael Todd Ralls, a former nurse anesthetist at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in Elk City, has been charged with three counts of felony sexual battery. The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Beckham County Sheriff’s Office.
According to court documents, the investigation began after an 18-year-old hospital intern reported receiving inappropriate messages allegedly sent by Ralls to hospital staff, her school, and the hospital’s human resources department.
Investigators and hospital administrators subsequently interviewed additional employees. Court records state that three female hospital workers described separate incidents involving alleged unwanted sexual touching, inappropriate comments, blocking employees from leaving situations, stalking, and abuse of authority in the workplace.
Hospital officials conducted an internal investigation, after which Ralls was terminated from his position. Court records indicate an arrest warrant was issued on May 4, the same day the charges were formally filed.
Ralls was later arrested by Oklahoma authorities. If convicted on all three felony counts, he could face a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
As with all criminal cases, the charges against Ralls are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.