BAY COUNTY, Fla. — A Bay County man has been arrested following an investigation into allegations that he failed to disclose his HIV-positive status to a sexual partner before engaging in a relationship, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators said the case began after a woman reported that she had been involved in a relationship with Monti Ray Davis from January 2026 until May 15, 2026. The woman told authorities that Davis never informed her he was HIV positive during the course of the relationship.
According to the sheriff’s office, the victim reported that the relationship ended after Davis became increasingly controlling. After the breakup, she began researching his criminal history and discovered that he had previously been charged and convicted on two separate occasions for similar offenses involving the failure to disclose his HIV-positive status to sexual partners.
The victim later confronted Davis about what she had learned. Investigators said Davis admitted he had not disclosed his HIV status and reportedly told the victim he believed he had protected her by wearing a condom and taking prescribed medication.
The victim told investigators she had no knowledge of Davis’s HIV status until after the relationship ended.
Under Florida law, individuals who know they are HIV positive and have been informed that they can transmit the virus are required to disclose that information to sexual partners before engaging in sexual activity so informed consent can be given.
The victim provided a sworn statement to investigators, and authorities said evidence gathered during the investigation established probable cause for Davis’s arrest.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Florida-Caribbean Regional U.S. Marshals Task Force, took Davis into custody.
Authorities have not released additional details regarding the case.
The investigation remains ongoing. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone who believes they may have experienced a similar situation to contact law enforcement.