Darren James, a veteran performer who was signed to Evasive Angles, has been diagnosed as HIV-positive. The diagnosis was confirmed today.
Records at the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation (AIM) show that James' last negative test was on March 17, 2004. Prior to that, his last negative test was on Feb. 25, 2004.
According to Dr. Sharon Mitchell, executive director of AIM, in between his last two test dates, "this male talent went to Brazil and worked non-condom. We have spoken with T.T. Boy, whose production company James worked for.
"He has been very cooperative and has released the names of two women he has worked with either right before or right after the trip to Brazil. We will be releasing their names shortly and placing them in quarantine until they have cleared out after a thirty-day period," Mitchell said.
James has also worked with two other women in the last week for another producer. Those names will be released shortly as well.
“I’d be willing to bet that the women that he working in between February and March have already tested negative, but I’d like to get them in for just one more 30-day confirmed negative status,” Mitchell said.
“Then these two other girls will be placed on quarantine for 30-days. No one is to hire them or work with them until they clear out with by PCR-DNA and RNA.”
The identities of the women on the quarantine list will only be released after they have been notified that they have worked with someone who has tested HIV-positive.
AIM will provide his follow-up care and any treatment that James seeks will be provided by AIM or one of their non-profit affiliates.
James is also eligible for the AIM scholarship program so that he can pursue vocational training or a college degree. James isn’t legally barred from performing, but for all intents and purposes his career in front of the camera is over. “ We know that in the straight world people don’t typically work HIV positive unless someone agrees to work with them with a condom, knowing their status,” Mitchell said.
This is the first time a veteran performer has been diagnosed HIV-positive since Tony Montana in 1999.
People attempting to enter the adult industry are occasionally found to be HIV-positive. In fact, one aspiring male talent was diagnosed last month before having ever worked in adult.
Keep checking back with AVN.com throughout the day for news regarding the quarantine list.
