Stephen Koch (Photo: Benton County Jail)
A man has admitted to deliberately contracting HIV so he could then pass the virus on to others.
Stephen Koch, 25, was sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to infect others with the virus.
Drugs arrest led to virus plot
Koch, from Arkansas, was originally arrested on drugs charges. Then authorities discovered text messages and other communications about his HIV status and intentions, while searching his computer for evidence of child pornography.
Among the other charges levied against him were possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, delivery of meth and eight counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.
The judge presiding over the trial struggled to understand why anyone would want to come up with such a warped plan.
‘Just so I can get my brain around this, did I understand the state correctly?’ Circuit Judge Robin Green asked.
‘Mr. Koch intentionally contracted the HIV virus so he could then infect others? Was that the reason?’
To which Koch replied, simply: ‘Yes.’
Koch was also ordered to register as a sex offender and go through a offender treatment program in prison, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, reported.
Benton County Sheriff Shawn Holloway said that parents in the community should use the case to engage with their children.
Parents should ‘speak on the dangers associated with unprotected sexual activity, meeting people online and sexual activity with partners that are not well known.’
Last month, a Mississippi man, was charged with knowingly exposing others to HIV.
Tyrone Ross, 29, was arrested on May 20 as the result of a complaint received against him at a hospital.
Two months ago a hairdresser in the UK was sentenced to life in prison after deliberately infecting five men with HIV.
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