A 28 year-old Maryland man who previously served a year in prison after pleading guilty to 'reckless endangerment' (for HIV exposure) in 2005, is again facing similar charges – seven counts of reckless endangerment and seven counts of "knowingly exposing others to HIV".
According to an article in the Montgomery County Gazette, the man – an alleged member of the Dead Man Inc. gang – began dating an 18 year-old woman after meeting on Facebook last summer. She moved in with him and they allegedly had sex seven times.
The police were alerted by the woman's mother, who researched her daughter's boyfriend on the internet and discovered he'd had a previous conviction for 'reckless endangerment' and HIV exposure. The mother then asked the police to tell her daughter that Perrera was HIV-positive.
The man is currently being held without bail.
The article, which is somewhat long and convoluted, and includes details of the man's previous conviction, includes quotes from Assistant State's Attorney, Stephen D. Chaikin, who notes:
"It is rare, but not unheard of" to prosecute such cases, said Chaikin. Four other such cases have been filed in Montgomery County since 1989, when it became illegal to knowingly transfer or expose another individual to HIV, according to records compiled by the Montgomery County Circuit Court Administrative Office. All five cases have been filed since 2005.The Maryland General Assembly made it illegal to knowingly transfer or attempt to transfer HIV in 1989 and is one of 32 states with such a measure.
Each reckless endangerment conviction in Maryland can bring up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, and each conviction for knowingly transferring or attempting to transfer another with HIV can bring up to three years in prison and $2,500 in fines.
"Holding him accountable and protecting the community, that's what this whole case is about," Chaikin said.
1 comments:
I hate to say it but I think it is outrageous for people to believe there should not be criminal laws preventing these monsters from spreading HIV to unsuspecting people. I think sometimes that there are those people with HIV who believe they should be able to infect who ever they want without any consequences. There are so many of us who have this disease who would not dream of exposing another person to such a horrible thing as AIDS. I was infected by a man who I dated for three years. I trusted him when he TOLD me that he had been tested and was negative. He watched me get sicker and sicker and never said a word all the while, he continued to expose me again and again. How can anyone say that this is exceptable behavior? How can anyone think that this should not be criminal? Those people who think that society will not hold these people accountable for their actions are crazy! These monsers are better off with a law that punnishes them other wise they may face a much more severe punnishment from those they infected.
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