Public health alert issued after HIV-positive sex worker had more than 200 clients

Ohio authorities issued a public health warning after learning that an HIV-positive sex worker had interactions with more than 200 clients.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office charged Linda Inez Leccese with solicitation after she tested positive for HIV, which is a third-degree felony. Now, the Marietta Sheriff’s Office and Police Department are working to contact at least 211 people who may have been in contact with her, to ensure they are tested and, if necessary, treated for HIV .

“We want citizens to understand that there will be a deputy sheriff who will address these people that we have numbers for,” Mark Warden, chief deputy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, said during a press conference attended by The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. “They’re not in trouble, it’s a matter of public health awareness.” This is not a scam.

According to the sheriff’s office, during their investigation into the case, they discovered that Leccesse allegedly solicited paid sex work, knowing that she had tested positive for HIV since 2022 and that she may have had contact with people in several states.

“’This case could come from anywhere from Florida to the East Coast, but we’re going to contact local individuals,’ Warden said, as reported by the News and Sentinel. “This investigation will continue and interviews will be conducted, again, to protect the health of the public and attempt to locate others who have been in contact with this individual.”

Officials say those contacted will be referred to their local health department and will advise anyone who may have had sexual contact with Leccese to seek testing.