Hiv-Infected Teen May Be Tried As Adult

An HIV-infected Belfair teenager accused of committing sex acts on children should be tried as an adult, Kitsap County prosecutors say.

The 17-year-old suspect was arraigned Monday in juvenile court on charges of first-degree child rape and child molestation. Prosecutors requested a court hearing to determine whether he should be tried as an adult.

The teen is accused of obtaining oral sex from a 6-year-old boy and molesting a 9-year-old girl between May 1994 and September 1995, when he knew he was infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The two younger children have been tested and show no signs of HIV infection, but will require continued testing, their mother said.

The suspect was infected with HIV through a blood transfusion and is dying of full-blown AIDS, Bremerton Police Detective Tim Lopez said.

If convicted as a juvenile, the suspect faces a maximum of 40 months in detention. As an adult, he could face a much stiffer sentence because the HIV would be considered an aggravating factor, deputy prosecutor Bonnie Hazelbaker said.