Florida man, 26, had sex with at least 3 women without telling them he was HIV positive
PORT ORANGE, FLORIDA: A 26-year-old man was charged after being accused of having sex with multiple partners without telling them that he was HIV positive. Gentry Burns, 26, was charged with three felony counts on Thursday, October 17, after Volusia sheriff’s detectives found three victims who engaged in sexual activity with him without knowing he was HIV positive.
At the time the charges were brought against him, Burns was already serving time in prison on unrelated charges.
"The investigation started after an ex-girlfriend of Burns came forward to report she believed she contracted HIV from him while dating him in 2013. The victim had been reaching out to contact other women who were dating Burns in an attempt to warn them. She also provided detectives with the names of other women she believed Burns could have infected," a press release from the sheriff's office said.
According to his medical records, reviewed by the detectives during their investigation, Burns was diagnosed to be HIV positive in January 2014. After the initial victim came forward, claiming that the accused had hidden his condition from her, two more victims also confirmed that they dated and engaged in sexual activity with Burns without knowing he was HIV positive.
None of the victims have been named in the case. However, it was revealed that one of them was diagnosed HIV positive in 2017 after dating Burns in 2016. It was announced that Burns was to remain in prison on the new charges with no bond allowed.
Detectives probing the case believe there might be other women who were victimied by Burns, besides the three who have already come forward. Anyone who has dated Burns was asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 386-248-1777.
"Under Florida law, it’s illegal for anyone who knows they have any of several sexually transmitted diseases to have sex with another person without informing them of the disease. Those diseases are: HIV, chancroid, gonorrhea, granuloma inguinale, lymphogranuloma venereum, genital herpes simplex, chlamydia, nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)/acute salpingitis, or syphilis," added the press release.