Reality Star Arrested for Allegedly 'Exposing' a Teenager to HIV

Reality TV star John Conner III was arrested last week in Memphis, Tenn., for allegedly failing to disclose his HIV status and having condomless sex with a 16-year old.

Connor, who stared on Lifetime's Bring It! as the coach of the Dancerettes, reportedly had sex with a male student multiple times in 2015. The 27-year-old has now been charged with criminal exposure to HIV, soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor, and statutory rape by an authority figure.

Connor has been HIV-positive since 2012, and it’s unclear whether he is on antiretroviral therapy and undetectable, but, that may not matter in a court of law, as many of these laws that criminalize HIV do not require that transmission occurs or is even possible. 

Conner and his alleged victim apparently met online in 2015, and according to the affidavit posted on Fameolous, had what authorities call "consensual sex" several times in Conner’s car as well as sharing text messages containing nude photos and sexual talk. Now 17-years-old, the alleged victim reported the encounters last month, which led to Conner’s arrest. The reality star is being held on $100,000 bond. 

Here’s a clip from the show Bring It!

Read more about HIV criminalization here.