A 30-year-old sex worker in Ohio came in contact with over 200 clients despite knowing that she was HIV-positive and officials urged those who were involved in “risky business” with her to get themselves tested.
Linda Leccesse had sexual contact with 211 clients from different states in the past two years since January 1, 2022. That was around the time when she got her HIV test done and found out that she had tested positive, authorities said, according to The New York Post report.
Leccesse solicited most of her clients in Marietta, a small city in southeast Ohio near the border of West Virginia. The possibly infected people are believed to be living across the East Coast.
“This case could stem anywhere from Florida up the East Coast, but there are local individuals that we will be reaching out to,” Washington County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mark Warden said in a press conference last week.
The police began calling the clients of Leccesse to alert them of the situation. “They’re not in trouble. This is public health awareness. This is not a scam,” Warden said.
The Marietta and Belpre Health Department urged people who may have come in contact with Leccesse to be “brutally honest” with officials.
“Marietta/Belpre Health Department is a judgment-free zone with full confidentiality,” said Barbara Bradley, health department administrator.
She also said that Leccesse’s clients and others who had contact with them were also vulnerable to the “risky business”.
On May 13, Leccessee was arrested for soliciting sex, after which the police came to know that she had been HIV-positive for over two years and that she was aware of it.
The following day, she was indicted for engaging in solicitation after a positive HIV test, a third-degree felony, The New York Post reported.
Rohit Malhotra is a medical expert and health journalist who offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being. His articles aim to help readers lead healthier lives.
