HIV+ Tattoo Artist Faces 84 Years in Prison

Tattoo Shops have fought long and hard to insure government agencies and the general public that they are safe and sanitary. And most shops have done a great job of doing that. However, it takes one bad apple to throw a dark cloud over a shop and in this case, although it had nothing to do with the conditions of the shop, it did have to do with one of its artists.

A shop in West Allis, Milwaukee had a 42-year-old artist working there named Jason Taufner. It appears in addition to Taufner being a bit of a ladies man, he was also HIV positive and did not tell his sex partners that he was. The Waterford man has been criminally charged for allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with six persons while HIV positive.

Sadly, one of these sex partners has already tested HIV positive. That woman stated that Jason Taufner never told her he had HIV, and the police are warning the other women to get tested immediately.

It has been noted that Taufner has worked in multiple tattoo shops in the West Allis area and one fellow tattoo artist who Taufner had sexual relations with said, she asked Taufner if he had any STD’s and he said he was “clean”. The complaint also alleges that Taufner had sex within the tattoo shop.

Unbelievably, Taufner has already been previously prosecuted and convicted twice for the same crime, and as a condition upon his release was he was ordered to inform any sexual partner of his HIV status and faces up to 84 years in prison.

Milwaukee County officials say if you engaged in sexual activity with or were tattooed by Taufner and feel you may have been exposed to HIV, you are urged to contact the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office Sensitive Crimes Unit to speak with an advocate. They can assist you in locating an HIV testing center near you — as well as connect you with investigating officers. Advocates can be reached at 414-278-4617.