A Texas janitor has been sentenced to six years in prison after deliberately contaminating drinking water at a Houston medical office and infecting multiple coworkers with sexually transmitted diseases.
The Case
Lucio Catarino Diaz, 53, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to court records. Prosecutors dismissed additional charges, including seven other counts of aggravated assault and one count of indecent assault. Authorities classified Diaz’s bodily fluids as the “deadly weapon.”
The bizarre and disturbing behavior came to light in September 2022, when an employee noticed a strange taste and smell in the office water dispenser. Initially, she began bringing bottled water from home, but soon discovered even her personal bottles had been tampered with.
Caught on Camera
To uncover the culprit, the employee placed a bottle of water under a hidden camera on her desk. Footage reportedly showed Diaz opening her water bottle, exposing himself, and inserting the head of his penis into the bottle before recapping it. This shocking act was repeated the following night.
Diaz later admitted to authorities that he had intentionally contaminated the water because he knew she would drink it, claiming he “had a sickness.”
Health Consequences
Testing revealed the employee contracted Herpes simplex virus type 1, which she had not previously tested positive for. Diaz also tested positive for Herpes and chlamydia. Multiple other women at the office later discovered they had contracted STDs linked to the incident.
The District Attorney’s office emphasized that the act constituted using a “deadly weapon,” noting the potential for serious bodily harm and risk to life. Diaz was credited with two years of time already served.
Aftermath
Diaz is now facing several civil lawsuits, while his former colleagues continue to grapple with the emotional and health impacts of the ordeal.
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