A man accused of keeping his HIV status from sex partners is facing nine new charges, and police believe there may be more potential victims.
Mounties in Mission, B.C. were first made aware of Brian Carlisle in July, when they recieved a report that a man had been having unprotected sex without disclosing that he is HIV-positive.
Carslile, a 48-year-old Abbotsford resident, was charged the following month with three counts of aggravated sexual assault. While the charges have not been proven in court, police made the rare decision to release his HIV status because of the potential that others may have contracted the virus.
The decision was made after careful consideration, Mounties said, and because they felt "the public interest clearly outweighs the invasion of Mr. Carlisle's privacy."
A number of new complaints came forward following the announcement of the charges, Mission RCMP said Thursday. As a result, Carlisle is now facing an additional nine charges of aggravated sexual assault.
The investigation is ongoing, and police said they are concerned there may be additional potential victims who are not yet aware of the potential change in their HIV status.
Anyone concerned they may have HIV is encouraged to visit their doctor for appropriate testing, and those with more information on the case are asked to contact a dedicated tip line at 604-814-1644. Tips can also be left anonymously at 1-888-222-8477 (TIPS).
Carlisle is Caucasian, weighs about 220 pounds and is 6-foot-2. He has blue eyes and short brown hair.
The offences are alleged to have occurred in several cities in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, including Mission, Abbotsford, Coquitlam and Burnaby, but Carlisle has been known to live outside the province. He has spent time in Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Vermont.
He has an online presence on several social media and dating sites, police said previously. Carlisle has been ordered by the court to stay away from online dating sites, including Plenty of Fish, pending his trial.
He's posted several videos on a YouTube account, including one that shows a forceful argument he made during a project for a criminology class in 2012 at the University of the Fraser Valley: that people with HIV should not have to disclose their disease to sexual partners.
He argued that because medical treatment has progressed to the point that someone living with HIV may have his or her viral load suppressed to the point they are not contagious, it’s time to change the law.
Carlisle infected his wife with the disease 15 years ago, court records say. The records stem from a lawsuit he filed against his doctors for failing to diagnose him.
He's spoken publicly about his HIV status in media interviews during his years as a marijuana advocate and during a failed run for mayor of Chilliwack. He also ran for school trustee in that city, and for city council in Hope.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Jon Woodward
Carlisle is accused of having unprotected sex without disclosing he is HIV-positive. Known to have lived in B.C., Ont., Man., N.B., Vermont https://t.co/tltKcRMR8w
— Kendra Mangione (@kendramangione) September 7, 2017