Ohio HIV Positive Sex Worker: The Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio has issued a public health notice after discovering that a sex worker, Linda Leccesse, knowingly had sexual contact with more than 200 clients despite being HIV-positive.
The situation has raised serious concerns about public safety and the need for increased awareness and testing.
Ohio HIV Positive Sex Worker Had More Than 200 Clients
On May 14, 2024, the Southeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force indicted Linda Leccesse, a local sex trafficker, after discovering she had continued her sex work despite testing positive for HIV in 2022.
Chief Deputy Mark Warden of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office disclosed these details during the press conference.
Leccesse is cooperating with the investigation. She was indicted on May 14 for engaging in solicitation after a positive HIV test, a third-degree felony in Ohio.
Her indictment specifies that she solicited sexual activity from January 1, 2022, through May 13, 2024, knowing she was HIV-positive.
Investigators, through their efforts, identified at least 211 individuals who had contact with Leccesse during the specified period.
The information about contacts was retrieved from Leccesse phone, which she used for her business as a sex worker.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Marietta Police Department are conducting outreach by making phone calls to known contacts of Leccesse.
Officials emphasize that these calls are legitimate and not a scam. The purpose of these calls is to inform individuals about their potential exposure to HIV and to direct them to their local health departments for screening and/or treatment.
Authorities assure the public that those receiving these calls are not in any legal trouble. The primary goal is to ensure that individuals who may have been exposed to HIV receive appropriate medical attention and support.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to contain and mitigate the spread of HIV within the community.
Leccesse solicited clients mainly on Market Street in Marietta, a small city in southeast Ohio near the West Virginia border.
However, authorities believe the potentially infected individuals could be spread along the East Coast, from Florida up to other states.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mark Warden mentioned in a press conference that efforts are underway to contact local individuals and others along the East Coast who might have been exposed.
As of now, there are no scheduled court hearings for Linda Leccesse. The case remains under investigation, and further legal action will be determined based on ongoing findings.
The situation in Marietta, Ohio, underscores the critical importance of public health awareness and the responsibility of individuals to act ethically once diagnosed with communicable diseases.
‘Risky business’: Ohio sex worker had more than 200 clients while knowing she was HIV-positive https://t.co/OmF5Mk1SSj pic.twitter.com/sDdTtfN8Wy
— New York Post (@nypost) May 19, 2024
Authorities are working diligently to manage the potential health crisis and protect the community from further risks. Public cooperation and prompt responses to health department screenings are essential to this effort.
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