Mid-Ohio Valley Health Alert: HIV-positive sex worker believed to have sexual contact with more than 211 partners

"On May 14, 2024, the (Southeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force), through an investigation, indicted a local sex trafficker," Washington County Sheriff' Office Chief Deputy Mark Warden said during the press conference. "During that investigation they had learned that this individual had tested positive for HIV in 2022 …This individual still continued the sex trade and through the investigation the agents had learned over 211 individuals … have either had contact or contact physically or by phone with this individual," Warden said.

He clarified during the press conference that the sex trafficker is a sex worker. He said an officer from the Sheriff's Office and the Marietta Police Department will be reaching out to contact those 211 individuals to inform them and ask them to be tested.

"We want the citizens out there to understand that there will be a deputy sheriff reaching out to these individuals that we have numbers for," Warden said. "They're not in trouble, this is public health awareness. This is not a scam."

He said the Sheriff's Office deputy calling people will tell them what they need to do to report to the Marietta/Belpre Health Department for testing. He confirmed the calls would start on Thursday and said the sheriff's office needs people to "be brutally honest" when they are called.

Linda Leccesse

Marietta Police Chief Katherine Warden said the officer from her department contacting people will refer them "to the health department for follow up information."

Chief Deputy Warden confirmed that during the taskforce investigation the information about who was in contact with the HIV positive individual and their phone numbers were found in the phone used by the individual to conduct their business as a sex worker.

He confirmed that the HIV positive sex worker is cooperating in the investigation at this time.

The investigation went back to who had contact with the sex worker in 2022, but the case will be further investigated, according to Chief Deputy Warden.

"This investigation will continue and interviews will be done, again, to protect the public's health to try to glean those other individuals who have been in contact with this individual," he said.

The individuals the HIV positive sex worker had contact with are from multiple states.

"'This case could stem anywhere from Florida up the east coast, but there are local individuals that we will be reaching out to," Chief Deputy Warden said.

He said the HIV positive individual is cooperating right now. At the press conference he declined to identify the individual, but said they were indicted on May 14 for a count of engaging in solicitation after a positive HIV test.

According to a Washington County grand jury release from Wednesday, Linda Leccesse was indicted on one third-degree felony charge of engaging in solicitation after a positive HIV test. Chief Deputy Warden confirmed the individual listed in the indictments was the subject of the press conference. Later Thursday, when asked if Luccese is the HIV positive sex worker, he confirmed she is.

Leccese's indictment states that on or about Jan. 1, 2022, through May 13, at 101 Market St., Marietta, she solicited another to engage in sexual activity for hire with the knowledge that she had tested positive for HIV.

Marietta Municipal Court records state that Lucesse is 30 and her address is the Market Street address.

Representatives from the Marietta/Belpre Health Department were at the press conference as well.

"For this particular case with the Sheriff's department we're asking you to be tested, you and your family members, and to call 740-373-0611 ext. 634 … please tell the receptionist that you are part of the sheriff's case so they know where to direct your call to make an appointment or for more information," Health Department Administrator Barbara Bradley said.

She said the health department is the only public health facility in Washington County that can do same-day testing and treatments for most sexually transmitted infections and it accepts insurance, medical cards and private pay patients. She said there are no residency requirements to receive the HIV testing form the health department.

Bradley said for people that do not have health insurance and are private pay patients, the health department has a small grant they may be able to use to help.

"Marietta/Belpre Health Department is a judgment free zone with full confidentiality," Bradley said.

Bradley emphasized that it is not just the people who visited the HIV positive sex worker who are affected by this, but also their significant others and people with whom any of them may have engaged in "risky business."

Bradley confirmed that the health department is working on outreach plans for later to reach people affected by the situation.

Health Department Nursing Director Dianna Beck said the issue of people coming into contact with the HIV positive sex worker may go farther back than 2022 because it takes 18-90 days to detect HIV antibodies in someone's system.

She also said that a little over half of people with HIV have symptoms that include a sore throat, tiredness, swollen lymph nodes and other mono-like symptoms and the incubation period for HIV is one to six weeks, so sometimes people don't know they are HIV positive.

After the press conference Beck said that they expect an increased number of people coming in for HIV testing because of the situation and they have already ordered extra testing supplies in anticipation.

Chief Deputy Warden stressed that the Sheriff's Office wants people to stay away from participating in sex trafficking.

There are currently no hearings scheduled for Lecesse.

The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department in Parkersburg said it is also monitoring the situation and always monitors for spikes in HIV and other communicable diseases in the area. If anyone has concerns and would like testing, call a local health department or the MOVHD office at 304-485-7374 to schedule a test.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com

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