A man from Michigan was arrested last week over claims he groomed a 15-year-old boy, lured him with money, and allegedly raped him. The victim later found out he had contracted HIV, according to the New York Post. 55-year-old John Dushan Cole is no stranger to sex offenses, having previously served time behind bars for infecting other people he shared sexual encounters with — but his most recent encounter with the teen boy may be the most disturbing one of them all.
“He is one of the most vile [predators] that I’ve seen,” Sheriff Christopher Swanson of Genesee County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “His grooming tactics were some of the best that I’ve seen, in the worst way.” Cole’s communication reportedly began in December 2022 after he had befriended one of the victim’s relatives. From text messages gathered by law enforcement officers, Cole wasted no time in offering the 15-year-old cash, saying he would “take care” of him, adding that the money would even cover expenses for a PlayStation. “But you gotta do your part,” the message continued.
He’s alleged to have sexually assaulted the boy for the first time in February after being given permission to take him to a basketball game, which was followed by another attack the next month when the boy attended a birthday party. By April, his parents had found out what had been going on and immediately reported Cole to the police, with law enforcement officers later finding out that the teenager had contracted HIV from his encounters with the sex offender.
As previously mentioned, this is not the first time that Cole has been arrested for sexual offenses. In 1987, he was jailed and convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, and in 2013, he was prisoned for seven years after infecting multiple adults with HIV. He’s now been arrested on 12 felony charges, with investigators convinced his intent was to infect as many partners as he could with HIV.
HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, which passes from one person to another through certain body fluids such as blood and semen. According to recent studies, about 90% of new HIV infections in the U.S. occur during sex.
HIV, as we know, is not the same as AIDS, which is caused by an untreated HIV infection that can be passed from person to person through certain body fluids. Although antiretroviral therapy is helping to reduce the number of HIV cases developing into full-blown AIDS, there is still no cure, and prevention is essential.
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The US has made significant leaps in the treatment of HIV since it was first recognized as AIDS over three decades ago. Prevention and management of HIV remain critical public health issues, especially for vulnerable populations such as women and minorities.
Research continues in the search for new ways to combat HIV, such as PrEP, which is a preventative measure that protects users from contracting the virus if taken daily.
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