Oklahoma man charged for knowingly spreading HIV to partners

Ernest Lacour was recently arrested and charged after spreading HIV to at least three of his sexual partners. According to local Oklahoma City, Oklahoma news station Fox 25, he received three counts of knowingly engaging in conduct to transfer HIV.

On Friday (Oct. 28), one of his victims spoke to the news station about contracting the virus. “It’s a deadly disease, but you can still live your life. I don’t have AIDS and I still have a life to live,” she said as Fox 25 withheld her identity during their interview. The woman added that she began seeing Lacour in 2021 and started feeling sick shortly after. “I would just faint and pass out. I would get so lightheaded that I would have these episodes and throw up for weeks,” the victim shared.

The woman revealed that after continuously feeling ill, she saw a doctor. She was shocked by her lab results. “It is hard mentally. They had to tell me about programs and medicine and treatments,” she told Fox 25. The outlet noted that OKC police had evidence proving Lacour “knew he was HIV positive during sexual contact” with multiple partners. While speaking with the news station, the victim shared that she wanted to speak up for others who may be in similar situations.

“I am here to tell my story. I am strong. I can do this. I have support,” she said. “I just want to tell everyone that they need to get tested and to be careful. You never know who someone really is,” the woman added. OKC police are urging anyone who may have had sexual contact with Lacour to contact authorities. They also advised women who have slept with him to reach out to their local health department to be tested for HIV.

According to Yahoo! News, the 30-year-old alleged offender was diagnosed with HIV in 2019.