Price police say HIV-positive man solicited sex from teen

A Price man who told police he is HIV positive is accused of offering to pay a teenage boy for sex.

Police say Leon Carl Mead, 58, approached the teen about 3:30 p.m. on May 24 at an underpass near U.S. Highway 6 and 100 North. The boy was walking to work, said Price police Capt. Bill Barnes. Mead allegedly struck up a conversation with the boy and then offered to pay him money for sex acts, Barnes said.

"The juvenile was kind of shocked and declined," Barnes said.

Mead then more than tripled his offer and asked for a different sex act, Barnes said. Barnes would not specify the amounts offered or the requested sex acts.

The teen fled and went to work where he called police and gave a description of the man, Barnes said.

Officers located and interviewed Mead, who "confirmed the story as given by the complainant," Barnes said.

In the interview, Mead also told police he was HIV-positive.

He was charged 7th District Court with second-degree felony aggravated exploitation of prostitution because the victim was younger than 18, and sexual solicitation elevated to a third-degree felony because of Mead's HIV-positive status. He also was charged with third-degree felony distribution of pornography by an adult in connection to allegations that he was sending and receiving pornography on the Internet.

Utah court records show Mead in 2006 pleaded guilty to a class B misdemeanor for committing a lewd act in Salt Lake City.

ealberty@sltrib.com