MUNCY – A physician with a longtime association with the state Correctional Institution at Muncy turned himself in Tuesday to face charges of allegedly having inappropriate contact with an inmate at the all-women’s prison on Route 405, according to state police.

Accompanied by two attorneys, Dr. Donald James Stone, 63, of Bloomsburg, was arraigned before District Judge Jon E. Kemp on a felony charge of institutional sexual assault, indecent assault, a misdemeanor, and summary harassment.

Based on an allegation brought forth by an inmate, Trooper James A. Wool, the lead investigator, alleged that Stone had inappropriate contact with the victim while examining her in her cell inside the prison’s infirmary on May 29.

In an affidavit, Wool also alleges that Stone and the inmate kissed one another.

During questioning, Stone admitted to Wool that he “did kiss the victim, but only after she kissed him first, basically initiating it,” Wool said in the affidavit.

However, Stone then changed his story, telling a prison supervisor that he “did in fact kiss the victim first,” Wool said.

A second inmate who reportedly was in the same infirmary cell with the victim told police she had witnessed the doctor allegedly touching the cellmate inappropriately.

“Why are you doing this? You know you could lose your job for this,” the second inmate asked the doctor.

“I just can’t help myself,” the doctor told the woman, according to Wool.

The victim told Wool that following her surgery, she and Stone “had several conversations,” including one in which the doctor told her that he “couldn’t believe that out of 1,600 inmates, he chose her. She was so beautiful and had the perfect teeth and eyes.”

Stone vehemently denied to investigators that he ever touched the victim.

“I never, never touched that girl in any way,” Stone told Wool.

Stone said he did provide the inmate “with magazines, nutrition bars, crackers and a pen, knowing it was in violation of prison policy.”

During the arraignment, one of Stone’s attorneys told Kemp that his client “denied the charges” and that he would “vehemently defend himself” in future hearings.

The attorney told the judge Stone was “escorted off” the prison grounds on the day the state police investigation began, which, according to Wool’s affidavit, was June 3.

Stone was not a state employee, but worked for a firm that contracts with the state Department of Corrections to provide medical services to inmates. Before his employment ended at the prison, Stone worked there for 10 years part-time and was hired full-time last November, according to information presented during the court proceeding.

Stone was released on $50,000 bail.

Earlier this month, corrections officer Mark D. Hoover, 45, of Lewisburg, was arrested for allegedly having an inappropriate sexual relationship with an inmate in August 2013 and again in April, according to court records filed by state police.