Charles Hatfield, 62, of Williamson, West Virginia, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, to five years of federal probation after pleading guilty to theft involving federal funds while serving as CEO of Williamson Memorial Hospital. Hatfield was ordered to pay restitution of $34,872.62 and a $20,000 fine for his actions.
Hatfield, who was appointed as interim CEO in September 2018 and became the permanent CEO in September 2019, admitted to diverting hospital funds for personal use. While in control of the hospital’s finances, Hatfield used $9,197.62 in hospital funds to settle a personal lawsuit, and another $25,675 in funds were directed to Mid Mountain Properties, a real estate business that Hatfield owned, just before the hospital filed for bankruptcy.
The hospital filed for bankruptcy in October 2019, after Hatfield was removed as CEO. Authorities revealed that Hatfield had been aware of the hospital’s financial struggles but still directed funds to settle personal debts.
Hatfield’s theft was discovered after an investigation by several agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Department of Labor. Hatfield, who served as the mayor of Williamson until May 2024, resigned following the theft charges.
United States Attorney Will Thompson thanked the agencies involved for their thorough investigation into the case.