By Jack Brewer and Erica Lukes
Jan Harzan was found guilty by a jury Thursday of contacting a minor with intent to commit a specified offense and meeting a minor to commit lewd conduct, according to court records obtained by Expanding Frontiers Research. The former executive director of the Mutual UFO Network was removed from his position after reports surfaced of his July 3, 2020, arrest in Newport Beach, California. Harzan was booked on the charges after police accused him of soliciting sexual activity from a detective who was posing online as a 13-year-old girl.
A case summary obtained from the Orange County Superior Court of California:
The summary reflects a long series of hearings that began in 2020. Harzan pleaded not guilty to the charges that culminated into a jury trial that concluded this week.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 26. The felony charges could result in up to eight-year prison sentences, substantial fines, and sex offender registration under California guidelines.