Michael L. Johnson, 23, who went by the nickname “Tiger Mandingo” on social media sites, was initially charged in October 2013 with just one felony count. But after the case was publicized, several other men stepped forward and authorities added five more felony charges. The encounters, with six different men, happened between Jan. 26, 2013, and Sept. 29, 2013, police said.
Some gay rights activists and legal reform groups say Johnson’s case highlights outdated laws.
If Johnson is convicted of the charges involving two men who contracted HIV, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum sentence on each of the other four counts is 15 years. He has pleaded not guilty.
The encounters occurred in Johnson’s dorm room and other campus housing at Lindenwood University, a private school in the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles.
Reform groups say such laws in Missouri and more than 30 states criminalize a medical condition and deter those at risk of infection from seeking help.