Man Knowingly Spread HIV, Sentenced 30 Years

HOUSTON, TX — A 34-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for knowingly infecting his ex-girlfriend with HIV. Karim Kakikhani held his head down as the judge delivered the sentence, Click2Houston reports.

Zakikhani was diagnosed with HIV in 2008, records show, but he told Sarita Anderson, his girlfriend at the time, he was HIV negative. The two met in 2013, working security at a hospital.

"I call it my tragedy, the testimony, how I had to dig myself out of that hole and basically, I feel like the old me died, but I worked real hard to rebirth a new person and I feel like that person is better. You don't know how strong you can be, until you have no choice but to be strong," Anderson said, Click2Houston reports.

KTRK reports Anderson noticed a considerable weight drop and found herself sick often. The two stopped using protection in 2013, after Zakikhani told Anderson he had no sexually transmittable diseases.

Several other woman came forward about Zakikhani, saying he had infected them as well.

The couple has a 2-year-old kid.

Anderson is not letting this bring her down. "He may have given me something that I'll live with lifelong physically, but he won't have me mentally for a lifetime. I won't be mentally imprisoned by this," she said, according to Click2Houston.

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