Philippe Padieu, 53, was convicted on Wednesday of six counts of aggravated assault after knowingly infecting six women with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS.  The Collin County, Texas, jury is currently in the process of deliberating his sentence, which ranges from five to 99 years on each count.

Before dismissing the jury to begin sentencing deliberations, Assistant District Attorney Lisa King informed the jurors that a life sentence is what Padieu deserves.  His defense attorney called for a more fair 20-year sentence, saying Padieu made mistakes and was a ‘modern-day Casanova’ but he did not spread the virus intentionally.

In 2005, Padieu, a former martial arts instructor in a suburb near Dallas, tested positive for HIV but continued to have unprotected sex in spite of his diagnosis.