Soldier Faces Court-Martial in HIV Case

Fort Bragg, N.C. — A soldier charged with knowingly infecting a 17-year-old boy with HIV will face a court-martial, authorities said Thursday.

Pfc. Johnny Lamar Dalton, 25, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, was arrested last month after a five-month investigation by Fort Bragg military police and the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. He was charged with crimes against nature, assault and assault with a deadly weapon.

A military magistrate on Wednesday reviewed the evidence collected during the investigation and found probable cause that offenses triable by a court-martial had been committed, authorities said.

Dalton was ordered to remain in confinement until he is arraigned.

Last November, Dalton was ordered not to have sex without first telling his wife or other potential partners of his HIV infection, and he signed an order to that effect, authorities said.

The mother of the unidentified boy, who is now 18, said her son first met Dalton in a gay online chatroom and then in person.

Doctors conducting routine blood tests in February found that the teen was HIV-positive.

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notfromhere - Thanks but all the new information states that people that are becoming infected today - not in the 80's are expected to live a much more healthy life with the virus. Sorry if you feel like I am being passive about this. I certainly dont feel like I am especially when statistics show me that AA women are becoming infected with the virus at epidemic rates. I really try to educate my sisters as much as possible. But I also let them know if you are infected live your life, be healthy and be as happy as you can. Again it does depend how the strain of virus effects your body. I am certainly not trying to sugar coat be inform. I have seen folks who have diagnosed with cancer check out within a matter of months but folks with HIV are living much longer. Some refuse to take the medications and still live a really long time.

claudnc
August 3, 2007 7:54 p.m.

Refering to this weeks headline: "People Have Sex Because It Feels Good"...If you knew someone had the ebola virus, you would not go near them AT ALL! This kid didn't know this guy was infected, but having unprotected sex is like playing russian roulette. Even this felon's wife thought she was safe.

doodad
August 3, 2007 3:50 p.m.

They should tatoo AIDS on his forehead, then send him to prison.

doodad
August 3, 2007 3:45 p.m.

People now days just have no morals! The internet is a tool that yes can help us, but the majority of people use it for terrible things! Meeting kids to have sex. When I was growing up you didn't hear about things like this. I pity the kid who now has to live with AIDS but I guess that's 1 for GOD 0 for boy, huh?!?!

aperalta001
August 2, 2007 10:55 p.m.

As for how do they know the HIV the boy contracted came from this man. Well HIV mutates very quickly. Through a DNA test they can determine how closely one person's HIV strain matches another person's HIV strain.

NotFromHere
August 2, 2007 10:46 p.m.