August 24, 2009

HIV-Positive Florida Woman Arrested on Prostitution Charges for Third Time

A Riviera Beach, Florida, woman has been charged with committing prostitution while knowing she is HIV positive, reports the Palm Beach Post.

According to the Palm Beach County sheriff’s report, Misty Ann Pate, 32, flagged down an undercover deputy and offered to perform a sexual act on him for $20. Once the deputy revealed his badge and arrested her, Pate disclosed that she was diagnosed with HIV nine years ago.

Florida state records show that Pate has been convicted of prostitution twice before and that a third conviction could carry a maximum of five years in prison.

She is currently being held in Palm Beach County jail on $3,000 bail.

Search: prostitution, sex work, Palm Beach, Florida, criminalization

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Previous Comments:

Vida, San Francisco, 2009-08-30 19:49:34
To me it seems like she is crying out for help. Is there a HIV/AIDS housing organization in her community where she can live and obtain social services intervention/programs that can educate her and hopefully, once she is educated she could go back to the same streets and educate her sisters and brothers. What a SALARY.

shawn, jacksonville, 2009-08-26 09:35:25
being an ex-prostitute myself, it sounds to me like shes crying out for help.shes probably addicted to drugs and aslong as she is she'll continue to support that habit selling her goods. ive been where shes at and its a vicious cycle. Jail time will help as long as shes required to do somekind of drug treatment program before shes released. i've been clean now over a year. the girl needs help and somebody to educate her on her disease.

mj, nowhere usa, 2009-08-25 14:32:20
Send this woman to prison still never will do anything for her life put restrictions on her where she can be and not be at all times 5 years a joke she,s still poz. 5 years and life on electronic monitoring that may do the .TRICK,