Marietta, Ohio – Health officials in Ohio are urging individuals who may have engaged in risky behavior with a sex worker diagnosed with HIV to come forward and get tested. The sex worker, 30-year-old Linda Leccesse, had contact with at least 211 clients from multiple states in the two years since discovering she was HIV-positive in early 2022.
Most of Leccesse’s clients were solicited on Market Street in Marietta, a city located in southeast Ohio near the border of West Virginia. However, authorities believe that the potentially infected individuals could be spread across the East Coast.
Authorities have started reaching out to known clients of Leccesse to alert them of the situation. They are also encouraging anyone who may have had contact with her to contact the authorities. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Warden emphasized that this outreach is for public health awareness and not punitive in nature.
Leccesse was arrested on May 13 for soliciting sex on Market Street, leading to the revelation of her HIV-positive status. She was indicted the following day for engaging in solicitation after a positive HIV test, a third-degree felony.
The Marietta/Belpre Health Department is providing a judgment-free and confidential space for anyone who may have come into contact with Leccesse to come forward. Health Department administrator Barbara Bradley highlighted the importance of honesty in this process, as relatives of Leccesse’s clients and individuals who had sexual contact with them may also be at risk.
Authorities are working diligently to trace the potential spread of the virus, which could extend from Florida up the East Coast. The situation underscores the importance of proactive health measures and the need for transparency in public health crises.