South Dakota Student Indicted on Three Counts of HIV Exposure, Pleads Not Guilty

Nikko Briteramos, the 18-year-old Huron University student who was charged on April 25 with knowingly exposing a woman to HIV, yesterday pleaded innocent just "minutes" after being indicted by a Huron, S.D., grand jury, the Associated Press reports. Although Briteramos was originally charged with five counts of HIV exposure, the grand jury yesterday indicted him on only three counts. Circuit Court Judge Jon Erickson set a trial date for July 24. Briteramos could be sentenced to up to 45 years in prison if found guilty on all three counts (Kafka, Associated Press, 5/2). Since Briteramos was charged, Huron health officials have been "reconstructing the chain of sex partners" and have administered HIV tests to more than 200 Huron-area residents (Kafka, AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 5/3). Earlier this week health authorities confirmed a fourth HIV case linked to Briteramos (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 4/30).