ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A 24-year-old man is accused of sexually assaulting a teenager and failing to disclose that he has HIV and syphilis.
Ritchie Smith Jr. was arrested by Winter Park police at his job at Steak N’ Shake on US 17-92.
Investigators said the sex crime happened in November, but are not saying how the man came in contact with the victim.
The suspect has several social media pages where he posted about his pursuit of a relationship.
One of the social media pages is the messaging app Kik.
9 Investigates reported a year ago about the FBI’s warning to parents saying that predators use the app too attract minors for sex or to solicit photos, without needing phone numbers.
Days before Smith’s arrest, he posted “My days are numbered,” on Facebook, and “#GoingAway” on Twitter, possibly in reference to his warrant.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said it’s difficult to charge someone with manslaughter even though HIV can lead to AIDS and death.
“The problem for the state is showing that the person has sex with a person with the intent to kill them,” Sheaffer said.
Sheaffer said while working as a defense attorney decades ago, he got an attempted manslaughter charge thrown out for a client, who was accused of infection others with HIV.
It prompted the state legislature to come up with the charge Smith is now facing.
“All you have to do is show this person has HIV knew it has sex with another person,” Sheaffer said.
Smith was denied bond and is being held in the Orange County Jail.
Cox Media Group
