March 26, 2010

HIV-Positive Minneapolis Man Charged With Sexual Assault

Daniel Rick, a 28-year-old Minneapolis man, was charged with third-degree assault for failing to tell two male sexual partners that he is HIV positive, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. One of the men has tested positive for the virus.

In February, Rick was charged with raping a drunken man after a night out in downtown Minneapolis. He was also charged with third-degree sexual assault for allegedly sexually transferring an infectious agent without disclosing he had it. Publicity from that case inspired two men to come forward to police about their consensual sexual relations with Rick last October. Hennepin County attorney Mike Freeman’s office filed the two additional third degree assault charges March 24.

“It’s almost like saying, ‘I’ve got this disease, I’m mad at the world and I want to spread it everywhere,’” Freeman said in regards to Rick’s behavior.

Robert O’Riley, the partner who tested positive, is urging anyone who has had sex with Rick to come forward.

“I made a mistake and didn’t protect myself, and all it took was one time,” O’Riley said. “Never assume anything.”

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Previous Comments:

Tim, Palm Springs, 2010-03-31 20:24:00
Jeff in SF should move to Palm Springs...most of the gay men here are POZ and surely one of them would love him. I always wonder in these things...who was the top? What did they do sexually? It makes a BIG difference.

Jeff, Sioux Falls, 2010-03-30 17:24:31
Foreveralone, you need to step out of that bubble you put yourself into. Being HIV+ is NOT the end of the world. There are people out there that will accept it and will love you and make love to you.

FOREVERALONE, Yonkers, 2010-03-30 11:05:42
The same happened 2 me with a man I loved so deeply. 3 1/2yrs only 2 find out that he was cheating on me the entire time. I finally left him in 2005 and got tested only 2 find out that I was HIV +, and in March, marks the 2nd anniversary of his death. I now have 2 live my life foreveralone, without ever having someone 2 love or make love 2 me ever again. Now, I am 45, undectable and fabulous, but all that means nothing, if I am afraid 2 let anyone know that I am HIV+. DEVASTATED!!!!!

James, Atlanta, 2010-03-27 22:13:20
This is what happened to me...except the person who transmitted it to me told me he was negative only to learn later he knew he had it all along and had run from the state of PA to avoid prosecution from other men who he knowingly infected. He is now on the run from GA too!!!