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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Salt Lake City man was arrested Sept. 24 and has been charged with sexually abusing young boys. Since then, people who know the man have come forward to say he has a life-threatening illness that he may have spread to his alleged victims.
People who know Kent Frandsen say he is HIV positive, and they're concerned for the young victims in the case. Prosecutors say they are aware of the allegations and are looking into them.
A relative of Frandsen, who asked not to be identified, said, "Kent is a very gregarious, outgoing person. He loves to make friends."
When officers busted Frandsen for drugs at his home earlier this month, they found more than that. They discovered child pornography and pictures of Frandsen sexually abusing young boys.
Prosecutors say Frandsen admitted having a file on his computer with videos and photos involving a 3-year-old child.
"I was disgusted. I was sickened," the relative said. "I don't think anybody in the family knew what was going on, because we would have, any of us, would have reported him."
She said what's even more concerning is Frandsen's health, and she called police on Friday to let them know about it.
"He is HIV positive. He has been HIV positive for about a decade, and he has talked very openly to me and other family members about his HIV status," she said.
A man who says he was Frandsen's partner in the 1990s said Frandsen didn't tell him he was HIV positive and he got infected.
The man, who also asked not to be identified, said, "I'm reminded of him every day of my life when I have to take a handful of pills every morning. It's completely affected my life and will affect it until the day I die."
He said he hopes Frandsen will spend the rest of his life in prison. Frandsen's relative said she hopes he gets the help he needs too.
"I'm hoping he can find peace. I'm hoping his victims can find help," she said. "I'm praying that none of them are infected."
Frandsen made his first court appearance by video Monday morning. The judge ordered that he be given a public defender.
Frandsen in being held in the Salt Lake County Jail on $1 million bail.
E-mail: syi@ksl.com
