Chattanooga man jailed on charge of knowingly giving pregnant wife HIV

Chattanooga man jailed on charge of knowingly giving pregnant wife HIV - Chattanooga Times Free Press

A Chattanooga man remains behind bars after he infected his wife with HIV, according to a Chattanooga Police Department report.

James Hutchins, 46, faces a charges of criminal exposure to HIV. He already has a prior conviction on the charge dating back to 1999 when he was given a six-month jail sentence and was placed on probation for five years, according to court records.

Hutchins wife of nearly five years had lab tests and came back HIV positive although she said she only slept with her husband, according to a police report. Some of her friends told her Hutchins was HIV positive, the report said.

The couple met online in 2005 and married about a year later. According to the report, Hutchins wife is pregnant.

If convicted, Hutchins could be incarcerated from three to six years depending on his prior criminal history.

He declined an interview request Thursday and remains in jail on a $10,000 bond. His next court date is set for Aug. 2 in General Sessions Court Judge David Bales courtroom.

For complete details, see tomorrows Times Free Press.

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