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Journalism of Courage
A man convicted of knowingly spreading the virus that causes AIDS was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Carl Leone pleaded guilty to 15 counts last April after failing to inform his sexual partners of his HIV status. Leone, 32, discovered he was HIV positive in 1997, seven years before he was arrested on June 6, 2004.
Five of Leone’s 15 victims have been infected with HIV.
Superior Court Justice Joseph Quinn on Friday handed Leone 15 consecutive sentences totaling 49 years — a number Quinn reduced to 18 years to better reflect sentencing guidelines laid out in Canada’s Criminal Code.
Quinn told the court that Leone’s age, his lack of a criminal record and the fact he pleaded guilty to spare his victims the trauma of testifying were factors in his sentence.
The judge did not declare Leone a dangerous offender, a designation that would have jailed him indefinitely.
He will be eligible for parole in six years.
His name will be added to Ontario’s sex offender registry.
At his hearing in February, Leone expressed remorse and said he hopes he can be forgiven and one day return to his community.
Defence lawyer Andrew Bradie said on Friday that he would not appeal.
