Hahn found guilty of murder-for-hire

Published 1:46 pm Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Aaron Hahn was found guilty Oct. 28 of first-degree solicitation of murder following a six-day jury trial in Clallam County Superior Court.

The 30-year-old Gresham, Ore., resident could receive up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 2.

Hahn also faces sentencing for a July 20 conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor. He could receive 36 months in prison with credit for time served, three to four years probation and $2,150 in fines and court costs for that charge.

Hahn was convicted of trying to hire a fellow Clallam County jail inmate to kill a teenage Sequim girl with whom he had had a sexual relationship. Hahn met the girl online and reportedly used threatening behavior after she ended the relationship.

She went to police shortly after a Port Angeles woman was killed by an ex-boyfriend who had been stalking her.

Sequim police arrested Hahn in March 2008 in a sting operation that brought him to Castle Rock in Washington, thus avoiding the need to extradite him from Oregon.

Following jury selection, testimony began Oct. 12 and ran for two days before Hahn’s defense attorney, Ralph Anderson, became ill.

It resumed Monday, Oct. 26, and went to the jury the next day. The jury announced its guilty verdict Wednesday, Oct. 28.

Reach Brian Gawley at bgawley@sequimgazette.com.