Arkansas Man Intentionally Contracted HIV To Infect Others, Also Had Child Porn And Drugs

An Arkansas man was sentenced to 50 years in prison Monday after he admitting he got HIV to infect other people with the disease.

Stephen Koch, 25, pleaded guilty to trying to expose another person to HIV, possession and delivery of meth with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and possessing viewing matter depicting sexual acts with a child, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported.

Koch, from Scranton, was originally arrested on drug charges, according to court records, but a confidential informant told police that Koch looked at child porn.  

Authorities searched Koch's computer and found texts and other electronic messages that showed he purposefully contracted the disease, according to KNWA-TV in Rogers.

In court, Benton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Stuart Cearley told 19 West Judicial Circuit Judge Robin Green that Koch even made plans for a double date without telling anyone about his affliction.

Koch, for his part, admitted that his actions were self-destructive, and Green told him that his behavior was going to harm others. Green asked Koch if that's why he did what he did - to hurt people.

Stephen Koch.

Koch said it was.

Green handed down Koch's half-century sentence, which Koch will serve in the Arkansas Department of Correction. Koch will have to serve probation for 10 years after he gets out, and he has to register as a sex offender and complete a sex offender treatment program in prison.

He is not allowed to have any unsupervised contact with minors.

[Photo: Benton County Jail]