Pierce Cotton (Pensacola Police Department/Facebook)
In a disturbing case emerging from Florida, a police officer is facing felony charges for failing to disclose his HIV-positive status to a woman he impregnated. The officer, Pierce Cotton, attempted to reassure the expectant mother that neither she nor the unborn child could contract the virus, as revealed in court documents.
According to the arrest report, Cotton confided to the woman, “I’m sick,” prompting her to seek more information. The situation escalated after another woman, with whom Cotton shares a child from a previous relationship, contacted the pregnant woman to express concerns about her health.
Cotton allegedly tried to allay fears by texting, “It’s under control, and that’s been proven. You can’t contract it.” When the woman questioned what he was sick with, Cotton reportedly responded, “I’ll preface it with this then: I can’t transmit it,” asserting that she had already tested negative for the virus and that he had taken precautions to prevent transmission. “You and the baby can’t get it from me,” he reassured.
The relationship between Cotton and the woman began in October 2025. At that time, Cotton was reportedly still residing with the mother of his other child. However, he insisted that they were not romantically involved, stating that he was temporarily living with her.
The serious nature of the charges against Cotton underscores the legal obligations individuals have to disclose their HIV status to sexual partners, highlighting the potential health risks involved and the importance of transparent communication in relationships.
The arrest report says Cotton and the woman, who is an employee with the Pensacola Police Department, began dating in October 2025. He was allegedly still living with the other mother at the time, but claimed they weren’t in a relationship and that he was only staying with her for the time being.
The other mother contacted the woman after finding out she was pregnant and said she found medication in Cotton’s personal belongings that was alarming, according to the arrest report.
“The female told her that she was concerned for [the victim] and the unborn child’s health and that should get tested,” the report says. “She initially would not tell why the female was concerned for her health.”
The victim allegedly came forward and contacted police after speaking to Cotton, which led investigators to obtain Cotton’s medical records and discover a prior lab report.
“The lab report indicated that it was a test for [HIV] and a serum specimen was collected from a vein on July 11, 2025,” the report explains. “The results date is July 15, 2025. The lab indicated that it was a positive result.”
The Pensacola Police Department charged Cotton and placed him on administrative leave, with an internal affairs investigation underway.
Cotton was released on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in April.
