St. Pete man who threatened to spread Covid-19 faces federal charge
April 8, 2020 - A St. Petersburg man who falsely claimed he had Covid-19 is charged with perpetrating a biological weapons hoax. James Jamal Curry, who is 31-years-old, said he had coronavirus and allegedly spit and coughed on St. Petersburg police officers during two separate arrests on March 27 and on March 28. On March 28, "Curry again claimed to have the Coronavirus, laughed, and announced that he was spreading the virus around," according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office for the Middle District of Florida. Curry subsequently tested negative for Covid-19, prosecutors said. Prosecutors have a filed a criminal complaint against him; a criminal complaint accuses a defendant of violating federal law but every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty, prosecutors said. If convicted he faces up to five years in federal prison.