Trial to start for ex-cop accused of not disclosing his HIV status

A former police officer accused of having unprotected sex with multiple women without telling them about his HIV infection is heading to trial.

Ervans Saintclair, who was a Greenacres officer until the allegations surfaced in 2014, faces five major felony charges.

Being convicted of just one count could bring a prison sentence of up to 30 years for the 41-year-old ex-cop.

It’s unclear whether any of the women contracted HIV as a result of their relations with the officer. The felony charges are based only on the claim that he didn’t inform any of them he had HIV before they had sex.

Jury selection is set to begin Tuesday in one of the cases. Trials involving the other later.

Prosecutors say the crimes occurred in various Palm Beach County bedrooms from 2010 to 2013, when Saintclair was still on the force.

His first arrest, involving two alleged victims, came in 2014. Saintclair was arrested again the following year after three more women contacted detectives.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel is not identifying the women due to the nature of the charges.

Saintclair has pleaded not guilty on each count.

Neither Saintclair nor defense attorney Ade Griffin could be reached for comment Monday. Assistant Public Defender Perry Thurston Jr., who also represents Saintclair, also could not be reached despite calls to his office.

Prosecutor Brianna Coakley said she could not discuss the cases because they are pending.

Saintclair found out he was HIV-positive as early as April 2007, when he received blood test results as part of women will be held his job screening to become a cop, arrest records show.

Saintclair’s doctor, from a medical practice in Quincy in North Florida, notified the City of Greenacres that Saintclair was told about his HIV diagnosis and instructed to practice safe sex.

Dr. Carla M. Holloman also sent a letter to Greenacres officials explaining that “HIV infection would not preclude anyone from becoming, or working as, a police officer,” records show.

Last year, his attorneys were unsuccessful in attempts to keep juries from seeing these medical records based on a claim the files were obtained on the basis of faulty search warrants.

An investigation of Saintclair began in January 2014, after Saintclair’s ex-wife contacted the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office with a complaint.

She said Saintclair told her about the HIV only after they had sex numerous times, reports show. Investigators said they could not bring charges concerning her claim because too many years had passed.

But the former wife then provided the names of several women she said were with Saintclair more recently. That’s what led to the charges.

One woman told a detective that she and Saintclair had a sexual relationship, including unprotected sex, from 2009 to 2013, without knowing about his HIV diagnosis, an arrest report states.

After Saintclair’s arrest made headlines, three more women made similar allegations.

One woman, who said Saintclair wore condoms with her during a relationship from 2012 to 2013, said she confronted him after finding out about his infection.

“Saintclair laughed, told her he did not have HIV and said that his ‘ex’ was ‘real bitter’ and making up the allegations,” the woman said the officer told her. That woman said she was tested for HIV and the results were negative.

mjfreeman@sun-sentinel .com, 561-243-6642 or Twitter @marcjfreeman