SAINT ALBANS, WV (LOOTPRESS) – One former member of the Saint Albans Fire Department has been arrested after sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy.
According to a press release, earlier this month, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Deputies were contacted concerning an alleged sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy. Boyd R. Poff III, a 49-year-old male of Saint Albans, and a member of the Saint Albans Fire Department, was named as the suspect by the victim’s mother.
An investigation was immediately started, and detectives learned the mother had just found out about the alleged abuse which has been occurring between October 1, 2021, through June 4, 2023.
With the support of trained interviewers at the Child Advocacy Center (CAC), the juvenile disclosed the sexual abuse in detail to detectives with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Section.
Mr. Poff was contacted about the investigation and agreed to speak with investigators. During an interview between investigators and Mr. off, he admitted having inappropriate sexual contact with the 12-year-old juvenile while he was in his care.
It was admitted by Mr. off that these acts occurred over the last year in his residence and began when the juvenile victim was 11 years old.
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Deputies executed a search warrant at Mr. Poff’s residence where evidence was discovered that validated the victim’s allegations and Mr. Poff’s admissions.
Mr. Poff was a family friend to the victim, having been around him since birth and was entrusted by the victim’s family to pick the juvenile up from school, stay overnight in his home, provide meals for the juvenile, and even take him on trips.
The lead investigator, Detective J.D. Endicott has filed charges in Kanawha County Magistrate Court for sexual assault in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, and sexual abuse by a guardian, custodian, or person of trust to a child.
Mr. off has surrendered himself to deputies and was arraigned today in Kanawha County Magistrate Court where a bond was placed against him in the amount of $250,000 cash. Mr. Poff is currently being held at South Central Regional Jail.
