March 1, 2010

Indiana Police Say HIV-Positive Man Put 26 Women at Risk

An HIV-positive Indiana man pleaded guilty February 24 to two felony counts of failing to warn a sexual partner that he had HIV, the Indiana Star reports. Tony Perkins, 47, was arrested last month after a former girlfriend reported him to the authorities.  

According to the article, this case is likely the first conviction in the state under a 1993 law requiring people living with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B to inform their sexual partners of their status.  

In Johnson Superior Court, Perkins reportedly admitted to having sex with two women—including his girlfriend of two and a half years—without disclosing his HIV status. He affirms that he always used a condom.  

Police plan to recommend additional charges after 24 other women have come forward to claim to have had sex with Perkins. None of them has tested positive for HIV.  

Perkins said he revealed his HIV status to his dates for about a year after his 2004 AIDS diagnosis but then stopped after a string of post-disclosure rejections.  

“I told them, and they would never call again,” he said. “They treated me like I had the plague.”  

Perkins will be sentenced April 21.

Search: Indiana, Tony Perkins, criminalization

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Previous Comments:

Von Allen, Austin Texas, 2010-04-08 10:18:45
I think it's sad that our society would sentence a man who practices safe sex without disclosing his HIV status. The women involved are acting inappropriately in rejecting him and also in finding him guilty of a crime.

Regina, , 2010-04-06 12:20:10
It makes me sick when I read other HIV + people saying that a woman (or man) who chooses to have unprotected sex with someone they may love and trust would actually deserve to be infected. We, the infected community who are aware of our infection, have a responsibility to control the spread of the disease. We have the responsibility to inform our partners so that they can make their own informed decisions regarding taking the risk. Those who are reckless should go to jail!

jecinta, kenya, 2010-03-04 10:08:51
hi, he was fair by using a condom and none of the women tested positive. let them wait for 3 months and if no one tests positive then he is a free man,

Sean, New York City, 2010-03-02 23:56:32
screw the law ...yes morally it should be the right thing to do to inform your partner of the status but also on the other foot that person should be taking their own responsibility to protect themselves at all cost ... why disclose. if someone is stupid enough to put themsellves at risk by practicing risky or unsafe sexual acts then why is all the blame and responsibility put on the HIV POZ person...do what our own government does ...dont ask dont tell ..right

hiv4hiv, , 2010-03-02 17:26:49
No on one asked me when I was diagnosed in 2002 who I got it from and now I am expected to inform any dude who tells me he prefers bareback sex what the risk is. To hell with that! Any adult gay male who doesn't know the risk deserves to get HIV. Problem is they need to blame someone for their risky behavior and the dude who informed that he has HIV gets the hit even though the idiot who prefers bareback sex has had sex with a dozen others who didn't disclose their status. Laws need changing

Gregg, Indianapolis, 2010-03-02 15:19:35
I'm surprised that POZ magazine would interchangeably use HIV and AIDS. The article starts with "an HIV-positive Indiana man" and later talks about what he did "after his 2004 AIDS diagnosis". Did he have HIV or AIDS? While I don't condone him for not disclosing, there's a big difference between having HIV (especially if undetectable) and full-blown AIDS. Come on, POZ magazine!

Dave Martin, Austin, 2010-03-02 15:07:43
Mr. Perkins was responsible and used a condom. Indiana needs to learn that there is far less risk involved due to that. The fact that none of the women turned out to be HIV+ should close the book on this case with Mr. Perkins being declared innocent of all charges.

katmed1, Miami, 2010-03-02 14:40:08
what is interesting is although the women did not become positive, and he Did use condoms everytime..just the fact he did not tell them/ under the law puts there life at risk..By 1993 standards. This should be an interesating case to watch,,

Dwayne, Washington, DC, 2010-03-02 14:35:17
OK, but the women needed to take responsibility and not have raw sex. It's really easy to blame the man now that they are infected. That's some BS.

Mikes, New York, 2010-03-02 13:47:21
If he is telling the truth and he always wore a condom and his partners confirm that,What is there to prosucute him for. If a women has herpes and does not inform you first,and you contract the virus is she then prosocuted? 24 women show up after all the press surrounding this, taking no responsibility for there own sexual safety once againg the HIV positive person is scapegoated for the irresponsibilty of others .

SirEndure, Earth, 2010-03-02 12:12:14
The irony is that HIV Positive men are expected to take responsibility for the acts of others while being offered piecemeal alternatives to their own life-threatening realities. Research is increasingly in the interest of profit while efforts towards a cure for HIV and is channeled more towards abstinence, safe sex, and a vaccine; none of which benefits an HIV Positive individual. It remains to be paradoxical to expect safe behavior from activities that are risky to begin with.

Don, washington dc, 2010-03-02 10:54:45
That b***h probably got hiv from some guy she didnt use a condom with and what about all the other stds that people have and dont tell their bed mates sup with that i guess its ok rite?

lutton, , 2010-03-02 10:09:07
That is the thing about having hiv - you do not really have a choice anymore. If you tell your partner before, you will be rejected, if you tell your partner after, you will be jailed. Thankfully, I never caught that shit and would never risk unprotected sex for a life like that.