Steven Paul Boone, a 29-year-old now behind bars in Ottawa, is charged with aggravated sexual assault after a man said he contracted an “infectious disease” after sleeping with Boone earlier this year. Police won’t say if it’s HIV, but they have taken the “extraordinary measure” of releasing Boone’s photo along with a plea that anyone who had sex with Boone — who was meeting dudes online — go get their business checked out. Not sure why this is so “extraordinary,” since mug shots are released all the time; they’re even posted online in Canadatown! But yeah, this certainly qualifies as a public health hazard.
infections
All of Canada Instructed to Regret Having Sex With Steven Paul Boone
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OnCloud9
He’s cute.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@OnCloud9: Think it would be safer to do the goat…… :-p
OnCloud9
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: LOLOLOL
SSCHIEFRSHA
I agree, a definite “public health hazard” and a criminal who has to be published.
Andy
@SSCHIEFRSHA: Okay, and given we know that HIV cannot spread with condom use, what blame do the victims deserve who don’t use them?
Mimic21
It’s a big deal to release to photo because generally they don’t release photos of the accused in sexual assault cases like this, and it’s a big deal but last in Canada a man was sentenced to prison for giving multiple women, 2 of whom died, the HIV virus. He failed to disclose that he had it.
This guy lives in my city, and the community is more than just a little rattled but this news, the guy that contracted the virus from Boone was 18. Victim takes some responsibility but the accused is endangering the lives of others, and himself. It’s reckless and deserves punishment, considering he’s like to cases in Waterloo, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario as well.
Jimmi
If you choose to have sex with a stranger and NOT INSIST on a condom–you have no one else but your self to blame. If you won’t look after yourself–don’t expect others too.
Paschal
@Andy: Even wearing a condom doesn’t ensure safety but ut does go a long way in achieving that. Everyone needs to be very careful whilst having sex.
londonbridge
You have to take responsibility for your own safety.
Andy
@Paschal: I’m not aware of a single study that shows HIV transmission when a condom is used.
drums
For all those who are blaming the victim, here is the difference:
The victims did something STUPID, not UNLAWFUL.
The dude whose picture is up there did something ILLEGAL.
If someone gets HIV from a partner who deliberately didn’t disclose, that person is a victim, no matter what. Blaming them is just like saying it’s the woman’s fault for getting raped because she was wearing provocative clothes, or someone’s fault for getting mugged because they shouldn’t have been walking alone at night. Yes, victim made a mistake, but the CRIMINAL is the one in the WRONG.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Only way to play is to assume any partner is + and play accordingly…………
Jack Smythe
considering that a good many men use condoms improperly or irregularly, and condoms MAY leak or break, AND alcohol and drugs are often in the mix when sexual activity is consumated, there is no such thing as safe sex, only safer sex.
to indicate that the use of condoms makes promiscuous, and/or intoxicated sexual activity safe is misleading and dangerous.
this doesn’t mitigate what the subject did, but it doess speak to some reckless statements made here.
Fitz
I worry sometimes about unintended consequences. Could stuff like this reduce the # of people getting tested?? If you never get tested (+), does that mean that you are legally off the hook for BB’ing someone? Has there been any case law about someone who should have assumed that they were (+) but did not have proof? It’s just very scary when we start mixing access to healthcare with legal stuff– I am not sure where to go with this.
GLENNMCGAHEE
If the accused had never been tested, he would not have been accused of a crime because he would not know he was positive and would be innocently infecting others. Is that the message? Do not get tested. Have all the unprotected online sex you want guilt free and lawfully.
Fitz
@GLENNMCGAHEE: I don’t know– it’s a good question. Would it be reasonable to ASSUME you are poz if you have been very sexually active without condoms? And if it is reasonable to ASSUME that you are poz, are you legally obliged to act accordingly? And this gets realllllly scary. Where does the line get drawn? Practically speaking, if it’s your ass about to get pounded then it’s on you to make sure that the dick is either wrapped up or not charged. But legally, I wonder….
terrwill
The title of this post is very misleading. No one was urged to regret anything. Only to get tested. And yes, the “undisclosed” disease is HIV. I have never slept with this guy but I can tell you for a fact that he already knew he was HIV + and he deliberately withheld that information from his sex partners (ofwhich there were hundreds). The 18 year old admitted to having bareback sex with Steven Boone a total of 9 times after Boone swore he was negative. This Boone guy is a sociopath who willingly goes around spreading disease. He has profiles on numerous websites. He has been linked to several other clusters of HIV infections. He is like a modern day patient zero. This case is now a matter of public health and safety.
ottawa new maker
hey guys i know this guy ok . and he would never do anything this dumb . they interviewed him without a lawyer and he asked for one . which means this case could be thrown out ?
OttawaLawyer
@OttawaNewMaker
Cases don’t get thrown out because a lawyer was not present at the initial interview. Before someone is charged, there can be an interview with the police without a lawyer present. Then when they make an arrest, they read him his rights, and he has a choice of talking with or without a lawyer. At that point, if he asked for a lawyer and one was not provided, the *case* is not thrown out; only the portion of his statement given after he asked for a lawyer *may* be excluded from the trial.
In any event, the case will rest not on his confession, but on the evidence of his alleged *victims* – and right now, all we have are allegations – and any other forensic evidence that might be available.
Finally, if you know this guy, make sure you tell him never to say “I would never do anything this dumb.” All the prosecution has to go then is to bring one of sex partners to say he did do something this dumb – and most have done something this dumb – and his credibility would be toast.
Daniel
The important lesson is NOT to believe anyone who claims to be negative. You must treat all potential partners as possibly being hiv positive, regardless of whether you are gay, bi or straight. You must be your own best advocate for your health.
It Doesn't Matter
Hello,
I know him. I chatted with him online and also met up with him. I knew something was not right about him. Yes, he was cute.
Met up with him last summer, later on after second time meeting up with he told me that he was not honest with me and that he was hiv+. That was the last time i chatted or met with him.
I did not sleep with him as I knew something was not right.
There are allot of people that should get tested, even his roommates should get test. He also frequent bath houses too.
He has been to Montreal and picked up there as well. His photo should be posted more times. People are scared to say something or get checked out because they do not want to know, or let their peers know.
PLEASE GET CHECKED OUT!!!
Nancy
I worked with this man back in November of 2009!
He has a fiance back in U.S.A!!!!!!
Be a Critical Reader
You people are so stupid. You believe everything you read. Everything that has been written about Steven has been information given to the newspapers by the person laying the charges against him. Don’t you think it’s weird that the individual claimed he asked Steven every time they had sex if he had HIV? Who does that? You ask a person the first time, not every time. And if you are that worried about it, you don’t have sex with the person. He has never hidden his HIV status from anyone. And is not the type of person to PURPOSEFULLY spread any disease.
*FYI this is coming from someone who has known him 20 + years. Not some stupid strangers who believe whatever propaganda the media feeds him.
terrwill
@Be a Critical Reader: Just about everything you said is bullshit! It’s so ridiculous that I think you wrote it just for fun, just for a laugh. But if you were serious, what you wrote was so idiotic that you clearly are the stupid one, not us.
terrwill
@Be a Critical Reader: Here is a copy & paste from his profile on bareback.com :
“%100 Vers here.. but can either bottom for a top… or top for a bottom… if that’s the case… neg bois to the front of the line..love to breed neg holes with my poz seed”
See it for yourself, that is if it hasn’t been deleted yet as it should be! Now tell us again that this psycho does not go around willingly spreading disease! You’re just as sick as he is to say nothing of being in massive denial!
Room Mate
He was not a random hook up. The guy, 17 at the time, was his boyfriend at the time and Steve promised him he was safe and the kid even waited a long time before starting to have sex with him. When he left Steave one of Steves friends told the 17 year old he was positive and then he got checked out and found out he was himself positive now. The kid was a virgin guys before this happend. When he went to confont Steve all he said was “Sorry i just did not want to tell you” This was a crime. Ottawa, hell the world, please understand that this was not an attack on people with HIV or AIDS. This person wanted to spread it and he has, alot. That why and only why his pic is up aswell.
Doot
This is pretty hot.
I’m -ve and looking for someone to poz my hungry hole. I want to be bred and filled with charged loads.
Any gift-giving parties in the Ottawa area next month?
DuluthMN
I just learned of this story today and I have a few things I’d like to say about this topic in general.
This highlights what many gay men have quietly been aware of for years. ‘Pride’ is bullshit – the only person gay men have pride for is their own individual selves. They couldn’t give a flying fuck what happens to other gay men. It’s been very, very clear since that awful day in 1981. We have murdered each other with relish for years because who cares? There are no consequences. We never intended to have a relationship with the other guy in the first place. Most gay men hate other gay men so much that (when closeted) those in power have made rules, policies and guidelines to ensure our lives are miserable. We do things to each other that are astonishingly cruel. This isn’t straight people doing this. This is gay men – doing this to other gay men. In the name of HIV transmission, it’s nothing short of murder. Gay men are so vengeful against each other that I am convinced that it’s almost a personality disorder similar to being antisocial or psychotic. It’s as if we have never had any power or control over anything or anyone in our lives. The only people we can really go after are other gay men. Unfortunately they are the ones furthest from the causes of our rage.
It’s very sad to see that in 2010 we still excuse each other for murdering other gay men. We don’t care. We never have. I almost think that those gay men who remain closeted, do and say nothing to other gay men and ‘play it straight’ just might be on to something. At least they have the companionship of a woman and get to be a father. Something happens to gay men when left to their own devices – too much money, too much education, too much self-importance. Too much of an attitude that other gay men are worthless; useless, unworthy of your precious time.
Pride in 2010 = utter bullshit. HIV transmission in 2010 = murder. I hope these people rot in hell.
Dan
I’ve chatted with him online and he was honest about his status with me. The two guys: the nice guy I talked to and the guy the media is showing the world; there is a huge difference.
While I believe he probably *did* infect his bf knowingly, I feel bad for him. I feel bad for his victim too for having been deceived and being infected and at such a young age too. I feel bad for both of them; that being said, I don’t take the side of defending Steve nor do I take the side of those who want to lock him up forever and throw away the key: I’m just saying I feel terrible that the whole thing ever happened and that they are in this situation.
But it did happen and now there’s hell to pay. My hope is that this doesn’t mess up the Ottawa gay community. I also hope that they keep Steve safe while he’s in jail; they would probably kill him.
John Smith
I don’t mean to be unsympathetic to those with HIV, victims of those who’ve contracted HIV (by any means) or insensitive to those who believe that non-disclosure of an STD should be a criminal offense. I do, however, feel obligated to point out that MANY sexually transmitted diseases (if not all) can and are passed on via casual contact (i.e. touching, fellatio, even kissing) such as Herpes, crabs, genital warts, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis and others. The fact that “only HIV is life threatening” is insufficient excuse (in my opinion) for criminalizing it to the exclusion of ALL other STD’s. I’ve seen the commentary here several times and it is true that those who enter into unprotected sex with anyone, regardless of the circumstances, are (or certainly should be) the ones who are ultimately responsible for their own health and behaviour. No. No one should willingly infect others with diseases and those WHO HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO HAVE DONE SO should face sanctions or prosecution. However, I strongly believe that those who EXPOSE THEMSELVES to the risk of STD’s are, at minimum, at least 50% to blame for their own stupidity and the results of their behaviour. Are we all now expected to be our brother’s keepers? Short of rape, anyone who is mature enough to engage in consensual sex should also be considered mature enough to take appropriate precautions to protect their own health. Those who (for whatever reason) choose or neglect to do so should not be able to lay claim to any loftier ground and exclaim “But they should have told me!” If you’re too drunk/high/careless to use a condom and let someone else put their penis in your body and THEN get a disease, then I’m sorry but I’ve little sympathy and one person’s personal stupidity shouldn’t automatically mean that someone else’s behaviour be branded as “criminal”. There is no such thing as “safe” sex (other than masturbation) and anything involving another person involves risk. Those who don’t believe that should probably not be having sex in the first place. Just my two cents worth.
Christopher
This is disgusting it takes two to tango, you put yourself at risk and cannot cope with the consequences deal with it, or get some help, blaming other people in this manner is sick and Canada should be taken to a human rights court. I’m sure he would have a case.
jason
I think they’re scapegoating Steven Boone. Steven didn’t invent the disease. Don’t forget, also, that Stephen must have caught it from somebody. Why don’t they go after this somebody too?
The whole “attack Steven Boone” mindset is a demonstration of a very ugly McCarthyist mindset in Canada. Canadians are generally two branches below Americans on the evolutionary tree, so it’s not surprising.
Thad Jackson
@jason:
as if you think the person who he got HIV from should be gone after too – what most likely happened is he was having unprotected random sex and contracted it; when he found out he NEVER TOLD ANYONE he was sleeping with. there’s a difference between who he contracted it from and what he did.
we don’t know the story or circumstances under which boone contracted the disease: so how can you be so sure this person should be gone after?
who should be “gone after” as you so put it… is the type of person who wilfully deceives someone and spreads a life-threatening disease to other people, just because of his own beliefs about the disease… i read somewhere he was quoted as saying he wanted to spread HIV around so he could prove it’s all some big conspiracy, or something.
so yeah…. steven boone should be in a prison cell. solitary confinement of course… don’t wanna spread that even more, and we all know what would happen if he was in contact with other men.
ANYONE who willingly does this to another human being should be locked up;