Judge: Teen Accused To Exposing Girls To HIV Fit For Trial

By Tracy Neal

Posted: November 10, 2009 at 4:31 a.m.

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BENTONVILLE — A Siloam Springs teenager is fit to stand trial on charges accusing him of exposing four girls to the HIV virus through sexual contact.

Christopher Gray, 17, is charged with four counts of exposing another person to human immunodeficiency virus, a class A felony. If convicted, he could be sentenced from six to 30 years in prison on each count. Gray is charged as an adult.

On Monday, Circuit Judge Robin Green found Gray fit to stand trial.

A mental evaluation at the Arkansas State Hospital in Little Rock found Gray doesn’t have a mental disease or mental defect, according to court documents. The evaluation also determined Gray understands the criminal proceedings against him and can assist in his defense.

Gray was arrested April 3. Court documents claim Gray admitted to having sex with a 17-year-old girl without informing her he is HIV positive. He was arrested again June 26 after Bentonville police detective Mark Jordan found three other girls who told him they also had sex with Gray, but didn’t know he was HIV positive.

Since Gray is being charged as an adult, he is being held on $50,000 bond in the Benton County Jail.

Brad Wallace, Gray’s attorney, previously filed a motion seeking to transfer the case to juvenile court. The transfer hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 3.

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