A man accused of rape knew he was infected with HIV, a Columbus police officer testified Monday.
The alleged rape happened Feb. 3 near the Chattahoochee River at the intersection of First Avenue and 17th Street, the Columbus Ledger Enquirer reported.
Joseph Lee Sims, 55, pleaded not guilty to rape, sodomy, reckless conduct HIV and giving false information to police.
Officer Christina Lombardo testified in court that Sims initially denied raping the woman, but when he arrived at the jail he told detectives he had sex with the woman without a condom.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an HIV test can detect antibodies as early as three weeks after exposure.
Jail records indicate Sims was charged with HIV reckless conduct in 1996, the newspaper reported.
He is being held without bond at the Muscogee County Jail.