Idaho man who tried to spread HIV goes to prison

(Idaho Statesman) — A Boise man who was initially arrested on a string of sex offense charges has been sentenced to several years in prison for sexually assaulting a teenager and attempting to “deliberately” transfer HIV.

Fourth District Judge Derrick O’Neill sentenced Alexander Louie to up to 30 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 16 years, according to a new release from the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office . The 34-year-old was charged with 11 felonies in five separate cases in November after an investigation by the Ada County Sheriff’s Office led to his arrest.

“Your conduct would be Webster’s definition of predatory.”

In a plea deal with prosecutors, Louie pleaded guilty to three felonies – sexual assault of a minor, enticement of a child via the Internet and transfer of bodily fluids containing HIV – and had six other criminal charges dismissed against him, according to online court records. However, two other charges for alleged HIV transfer are still pending, and Louie will have hearings for both cases later this month, according to court records.

“Your conduct would be the Webster definition of a predator,” O’Neill said during Friday’s sentencing, according to the release.

In August, Louie initiated an “online sexual conversation” with an undercover Ada County sheriff’s detective – who Louie believed to be a 15-year-old boy – and set up a date to have sex, according to the prosecutor’s office. In September, he was arrested by the sheriff’s office.

During the investigation, law enforcement learned that Louie, who is HIV positive, was not taking his medication and was having sexual contact with men and teenagers in hopes of infecting them with the virus that causes AIDS, the prosecutor’s office said.

Louie did not disclose his HIV status to victims – which is illegal in Idaho – and admitted to having sex with 30 to 50 people, including the sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy. The sheriff’s office said Louie met the teen through the Internet and sexually assaulted him three times in September, the Statesman previously reported.

“This defendant’s serious and repeated offenses have negatively impacted many people in our community,” Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said in the release. “I want to thank the Ada County Sheriff’s Detective and my trial team. Their hard work on this case ensured that Mr. Louie was brought to justice to protect our community from his predatory and dangerous conduct.