US: Michigan woman second to face HIV exposure charges in Kalamazoo within a month

Update: Dec 9th

Ms Williams was sentenced to time served, 68 days, and placed on probation for five years by Judge Pamela L. Lightvoet. She had pleaded guilty in November to one count of failing to tell sexual partners she had tested positive for HIV.

Original post

A 36 year-old woman has been charged under Michigan's HIV exposure laws for failing to inform two of her sexual partners of her status before the men had sex with her without using condoms. (Putting it that way does make the law seem absurd, doesn't it?)

This is second HIV exposure case in the small southwestern Michigan city (pop 71, 145) in three weeks. Last month, a 25 year-old Kalamazoo man was also accused on two counts of breaking HIV exposure laws in 2005. A police fishing expedition has now resulted in two more complainants from 2004 coming out of the woodwork.

The woman is now the subject of a similar fishing expedition.

Each charge carries a maximum prison term of four years.

Kalamazoo woman with HIV is the second person to face charges within a month
Rex Hall Jr.
Kalamazoo Gazette
October 08, 2008

A Kalamazoo woman faces felony charges for allegedly failing to tell two of her sexual partners that she has tested positive for carrying HIV.

Bobbi Jo Williams, 36, was arraigned Monday in Kalamazoo County District Court on two counts of having sex with an uninformed partner, according to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. She was being held in the county jail on $5,000 cash bond, Detective Sgt. Karianne Thomas said.

It is the second such arrest in the Kalamazoo area in less than a month.

In September, Travis Kurtz, 25, of Kalamazoo, was charged with two counts of failing to notify sexual partners that he is HIV-positive. The incidents allegedly occurred in 2005. Kurtz also was charged with two additional counts Oct. 1 for alleged incidents in 2004.

Williams is scheduled to be back in court Oct. 15 for a hearing regarding evidence against her. Kurtz's hearing is scheduled for Oct. 22.

Police ask those who have information about Williams or believe they are victims to call KDPS at xxx-xxxx or Silent Observer at xxx-xxxx, or go online to the Silent Observer Web site.