Man w/ HIV gets prison time for assault
An HIV-positive Spokane man who lied to his sex partner about his condition will spend at least the next five years in prison.
Zuriel E. Roush, 23, was sentenced to at least 87 months in prison but will be credited for 17 months already served in jail and is eligible for time off for good behavior.
"He could be out in about five years," said his lawyer, Terence Ryan.
Roush pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree assault with sexual motivation.
Roush had told the victim, a married man with children, he was not HIV positive, but the man did not contract the virus from their encounter, Ryan said.
Roush was arrested in May 2009. A friend told police that Roush, a fast food worker, met men on the website manhunt.com and had anonymous, unprotected sex in People's Park without disclosing he was HIV positive.
Roush was charged with two counts of first-degree assault, but Ryan said the second charge was dismissed because the other alleged victim was not truthful.
"It was somebody who was jumping on the bandwagon after the charges hit the press," Ryan said.
Roush, who took special-education classes in school and underwent a mental evaluation after his arrest, apologized for his crime at his sentencing last week, Ryan said.
Roush is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and was ordered by Judge Maryann Moreno not to frequent sex websites and to disclose his HIV status to all sex partners. Prosecutors recommended the low end of the standard sentencing range - 87.75 months - but Roush could serve up to 10 years under the state's indeterminate sentencing law for sex offenders. He'll undergo assessments when he's eligible for release.
Past coverage: