Porn Actor Jailed For Exposing Co-Stars To Syphilis

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An adult film actor was sentenced to jail for knowingly exposing at least two co-stars to syphilis after testing positive for the disease days earlier, the District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.

Jesse Spencer, 42, an adult film actor who works under the name "Mr. Marcus", entered a plea of no contest to one count of exposing another to a communicable disease.

In addition to 30 days in jail, Superior Court Judge Catherine Ewell sentenced Spencer to 36 months probation and 15 days of community labor.

Spencer has been in police custody since May 22 following a separate DUI arrest, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Existing industry practice requires adult film actors to undergo routine testing for several different sexual transmitted diseases.

On July 13, 2012, Spencer received a penicillin shot after testing positive for syphilis. On July 21, following a second screening, Spencer continued to test positive for syphilis. Spencer then altered the original form by obscuring the syphilis result on a photocopy.

"The potential spread of syphilis and other communicable diseases is a serious threat to our entire community," said City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. "My office will continue to hold accountable those who place the health and welfare of others in danger in such a reckless and thoughtless manner."

On July 24 and July 26, 2012, Spencer participated in two adult movie shoots engaging in various sex acts while continuing to test positive for syphilis. Two actresses who worked with Spencer made a police report after a producer noticed the results on the form had been altered.

None of the actresses contracted syphilis as a result of exposure to Spencer, the D.A.'s Office said.

Production in the adult film industry was halted last August while Los Angeles County public health officials investigated a possible outbreak of the sexually transmitted disease.