An HIV-positive Florida man was arrested after he admitted to sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy and passing the virus along to the child, officials said.
Bobby McAfee, 62, of Clearwater, was arrested on May 30 and charged with sexual battery, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.
McAfee’s arrest follows a lengthy, almost year-long investigation by detectives, who received a report on August 23, 2024, about the sexual battery. The alleged assault took place in St. Petersburg, a city along Florida’s Gulf Coast, when the victim was 8 years old. It was not immediately clear how old the victim is now.
“Detectives learned the suspect, 62-year-old Bobby McAffee, pinned the victim down on the ground, held both of his arms above his head, and sexually battered him,” the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities interviewed McAfee on Friday, and he admitted to having sexual contact with the victim.
McAffee also confessed to detectives that he tested positive for HIV. The victim, who has not been publicly named, also recently learned that he is HIV positive, authorities wrote in the release.
HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, attacks the body’s immune system and causes flu-like symptoms. Without treatment, the disease may lead to AIDS, however, proper medical care prevents most U.S. patients from developing AIDS. While there is no cure to HIV, there are medications to help control the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
McAffee was charged with one count of sexual battery of a child less than 12 years old.
He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Friday. He is currently being held on a $250,000 bond, according to jail records.
Authorities said they do not plan on sharing any additional information about the case in order to protect the victim’s identity.
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