Share and Follow
Pierce Cotton (Pensacola Police Department/Facebook)
A police officer in Florida faces charges for allegedly failing to inform a woman whom he impregnated about his HIV-positive status, an act considered a felony. According to court filings, the officer attempted to reassure the woman by claiming, “I can’t transmit it” and that “you and the baby can’t get it.”
Pensacola officer Pierce Cotton reportedly told the expectant mother, “I’m sick,” as detailed in his arrest report. This revelation came after a previous partner, with whom Cotton shares a child, contacted the woman to express her “concern” for her well-being, the report states.
In purported text messages, Cotton assured the woman, “It’s under control, and that’s been proven,” insisting, “You can’t contract it.”
The report indicates that the woman questioned, “Sick with what?”
Cotton allegedly responded, “I’ll preface it with this then: I can’t transmit it,” adding, “You don’t have it, since you’ve already been tested for it. … I made sure I was safe to keep you from getting it. You and the baby can’t get it from me.”
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.