Ada County Man Arraigned for Knowingly Transferring HIV

Health privacy laws prevent CDHD from being able to reveal the name of the suspect.

A Boise man was arraigned Tuesday September 14, 2010 on a charge of knowingly transferring the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Ada County Sheriff’s detectives began investigating the Boise man after he disclosed that he has had sex with multiple people since learning he is HIV-positive.

The man surrendered himself to the Ada County Jail in April on a misdemeanor probation violation. Shortly after being booked into jail, he told a jail deputy about his HIV status and about his sexual contact with people.

The subject told investigators he has had sex with one woman and as many as 20 different men since learning he was HIV-positive in October 2009.

The man posted ads soliciting sex on Craigslist and other sexually-oriented websites. He did not disclose his HIV-positive status on the Craigslist postings. He told detectives he did not warn any of his sexual partners that he has the virus and did not use protection.

Ada County Sheriff’s detectives have identified and spoken with five known victims who have had unprotected sex with the suspect. All have been informed of his status and how to go about getting tested for HIV and other sexually-transmitted disease.

Based on the information gathered during the investigation, a judge issued a warrant for the man's arrest on one count of knowingly exchanging bodily fluids infected with HIV.

The Central District Health Department is gravely concerned about the alleged activities of the HIV-positive subject currently incarcerated at the Ada County Jail. The subject has reportedly confessed to having unprotected sex with multiple male and female partners over the past year, without telling them of his status. While Ada County will handle the legal issues involved with this case, CDHD is most concerned about the significant public health risk this individual’s alleged behaviors have had on his partners. They may be infected without knowing it and may, in turn, be infecting others.

“Our primary interest is in preventing the spread of disease,” said Nikki Sakata, Program Manager for the CDHD Communicable Disease Control program. “There are individuals in our community who may be unknowingly spreading HIV as a result of contact with this individual. It is extremely important that these people get tested. Knowing your status can help you maintain your health and protect the health of your partners.”

HIV is passed on through contact with the blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk of an infected person. Most cases are acquired by having unprotected sex with an infected partner. Sharing syringes and needles can also expose a person to blood infected with HIV. Infected women can pass the virus to their babies during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

Any medical provider can order an HIV test. If you don’t have a provider, contact the Central District Health Department at 327-7400 or go to www.hivtest.org and enter your zip code for a list of other nearby HIV testing organizations.

“Sadly, this individual’s behavior is far from unique,” Sakata went on to explain. “He reportedly solicited sex partners through a variety of online resources, including Craigslist. These anonymous ‘hook-ups’ promote the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. And because the encounters are anonymous, tracking and averting the spread of disease is extremely difficult.”

Sexually transmitted disease (STD) is not limited to HIV. Syphilis infection has also been reported among people who are meeting online, and most recently, “hooking-up” at area adult book and video stores. Anyone who may be at risk for an STD is encouraged to seek testing by seeing their health care provider or by calling CDHD at 327-7400.