GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - A Kent County man has been arrested and charged with not informing a sexual partner that he is HIV-positive.
Jeremy Merithew, 32, was arraigned Thursday on one count of AIDS - Sexual Penetration with Uninformed Partner, according to the Kent County Sheriff's Department.
The victim made a complaint to the Sheriff's Department on August 10th that he had met Merithew on the web and met for consensual sex on August 9th. The victim told investigators that Merithew assured him that he was HIV-negative at the encounter, but later admitted online to the victim who was using a different screen name that he was HIV-positive.
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) is encouraging anyone who may have had sexual relations with Merithew to come in for an HIV test.
KCHD provides quick, safe, anonymous and confidential testing. Call the Personal Health Services Clinic at 616.632.7171 for more information.
Any additional victims are also asked to call the Kent County Sheriff Department at (616) 632-6125.