Florida Judge Orders Jail for Man Allegedly Spreading HIV

A Polk County, Fla., judge has ordered the jailing of a man who prosecutors say has infected at least three women with HIV. In November, the State Attorney's Office charged Louis Cecil Sanders, 32, under a rarely enforced state law that makes it a third-degree felony for people with HIV to have sexual intercourse without informing their partners of their HIV status. If convicted, Sanders would face as much as five years in prison. Sanders has been free on bail. After the Ledger of Lakeland ran a story last Thursday about Sanders' case, a woman contacted the State Attorney's Office and said she had sex with Sanders as recently as Jan. 13. Throughout their relationship, which began in November, Sanders never told her he was HIV-positive, according to prosecutors. That prompted Polk Circuit Judge Michael McCarthy on Friday to order Sanders held in the Polk County Jail without bail while he awaits trial. However, as of Tuesday night, Sanders had not been found. "You can characterize him as a walking health epidemic," State Attorney Jerry Hill said. "He literally, literally is endangering lives. He needs to be off the street ASAP."

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