Man jailed 30 years for intentionally infecting people with HIV

fuad lawal

July 24, 2015 8:09 AM

A Missouri man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for knowingly exposing a sexual partner to the virus that causes AIDS.

David Lee Mangum, 39, of Dexter, was sentenced Tuesday, the an American daily reported reported.

Mangum pleaded guilty in June to two counts of exposing another person to HIV, according to the newspaper.

Court documents say that Mangum exposed the person without their knowledge or consent in April 2013. Mangum originally was charged after a male sexual partner tested positive for HIV and alerted police.

Mangum initially told authorities he had sexual relations with up to 300 people, with some of the encounters set up through Craigslist ads, often with strangers, including truckers and others passing through Missouri.

He later said the actual number of partners was around 12. He said he did not tell any of them that he had HIV.

According to the Daily American Republic, Mangum said Tuesday in court: 'I was trying to make my partner jealous... I believe 12 is more accurate.'

It wasn't immediately clear if any of Mangum's other partners have tested positive for HIV.

Judge Michael Pritchett, via the news outlet, said Mangum learned he was HIV-positive in 2003 and received medical treatment from 2003 to 2009, when he moved to Stoddard County.

At that point, treatment stopped.

Mangum told the judge he didn't have a way to get to medical appointments, according to the Daily American Republic.

'You made the choice to not get treatment?' Pritchett was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

'Pretty much,' Mangum replied.

'You realize you placed others at risk,' Pritchett said.

Stoddard County prosecutor Russ Oliver urged a long sentence, the Daily American Republic reported, saying sex offenders like Mangum are a 'high risk' for re-offending once they are released.

Mangum's attorney, Erica Fox, reportedly described him as educated and apologetic.

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