UPDATE: The Sheriff's Office believes that Burns traveled extensively along the east coast of the United States and may have had contact with other victims in other states.
Detectives are asking anyone who believes they may be a victim to contact the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. The best way to report your case is to email Detective Julian Elmazi at JElmazi@vcso.us.
Earlier reporting below.
Port Orange, FL - A 23-year-old man is now facing three felony counts of having sex with multiple partners without informing them about his infection.
That's the story for Gentry Burns, who was already in Volusia County Jail when he was charged.
Detectives with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office identified three female partners of Burns' who engaged in sexual activities with him, not knowing that he was infected.
The investigation was launched after an ex-girlfriend of Burns' reported to the Sheriff's Office that she believed she got HIV from him while they were dating in 2013. She also told VCSO that she contacted other women who had dated Burns in order to warn them, along with providing the names of other women he could have infected.
Detectives confirmed through subpoenaed medical records that Burns was diagnosed HIV positive in January 2014. Investigators also identified three victims who confirmed they dated and engaged in sexual activity with Burns without knowing he was HIV positive. One was diagnosed with HIV in 2017, a year after dating Burns.
Burns was already in custody on unrelated charges when he was arrested. He will remain in jail without bond, thanks to his new charges.
Detectives believe other victims may still come forward. Anyone who has dated Burns and believes they might be at risk is urged to see a doctor and to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 386-248-1777.
The Sheriff's Office also said the following in regards to Burns' case:
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.
