ATLANTA – A south Georgia elementary school teacher accused of engaging in sex acts with a teen while knowing he was HIV-positive has been indicted by a grand jury.
A five-count indictment filed Wednesday charges Phillip Marquis Burns, 29, with child molestation, aggravated child molestation, reckless conduct, child enticement and criminal solicitation.
Burns is accused of masturbating and having oral sex with a 16-year-old boy and asking another boy to send him explicit pictures of himself, the indictment says. The former teacher is accused of having sexual contact with the teen in May of 2012, and is charged with reckless conduct because investigators say the man knew he was HIV positive.
A person engaging in intercourse or oral sex with someone while knowingly failing to disclose a positive HIV status is punishable by up to 10 years in prison under Georgia law.
Burns left the district before he was arrested and relocated to Columbus, Ga., Dougherty County schools spokesman R.D. Harter said.