YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A former Youngstown man faces criminal charges after police say he knowingly infected his girlfriend with HIV.

Randal Brown, 22, was arrested in North Carolina after his ex girlfriend became ill and found out she got HIV from him.

Youngstown City Prosecutor Jay Macejko, says Brown failed to tell her he had the virus which his mother passed on to him at birth.  "She indicated she had become very sick.  It was only after she had developed symptoms that the person with whom she had a physical intimate relationship with disclosed to her he was a carrier of a deadly infectious disease," Macejko said.

The victim decided to press charges and now Brown faces jail time.

"The charge is felonious assault, which is failing to disclose if you are a carrier of this disease. Knowing you have been diagnosed with such, it is categorized as a felony in the second degree which would expose him to two to eight years in the penitentiary for each instance," Macejko said.

Authorities aren't sure how many girlfriends he might have had contact with over the years.

Prosecutors hope they seek medical attention and call their offices to possibly help add on more criminal charges.

Authorities are also warning local tattoo artists since Brown had many on his body.

Owners of Artistic Dermagraphics in Boardman say getting a tattoo from a reputable establishment is safe because they take so many precautions, but the artist does need to watch out.  "You could get something from a needle prick because that would be like tattooing to our skin," said Debbie Lenz from Artistic Dermagraphics.

Brown's bond is set at a million dollars.