Executive Director of Mutual UFO Network Arrested for Child Solicitation

Updated 7/15/20

Jan C. Harzan, executive director for the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), was arrested July 3rd by the Huntington Beach Police Department's Special Enforcement Bureau on multiple felonies involving child solicitation.

According to a statement made on the department’s Facebook page,

In the past two weeks, detectives from the Huntington Beach Police Department's Special Enforcement Bureau have arrested two suspects on two separate incidents involving online crimes against children.
On July 3, detectives contacted a male by the name of Jan Harzan after Harzan solicited sexual activity from a detective he believed was a 13 year old girl. The suspect solicited the minor to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity, and when the suspect agreed to meet the supposed minor, detectives were there to take him into custody.
On July 8, detectives contacted a different male by the name of Norman Powers after Powers also solicited sexual activity from the detective posing as a 13 year old, and also arranged to meet for the purpose of sexual activity. Once he arranged a meet, detectives contacted him and determined he was there to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
Both Harzan and Powers were arrested for multiple felonies and transported to the Huntington Beach Jail. Both of the suspects in these cases were specifically targeting minor females online.

Prior to his arrest, Harzan had been under fire from detractors in the UFO community for failing to completely sever ties with high level members of MUFON who had made controversial public statements about race.

Issues with systemic racism in MUFON first gained widespread attention in 2017 with an inflammatory Facebook post by then Pennsylvania State Director John Ventre. While Ventre was removed from his position as state director, he was allowed to remain active in the organization as a paid consultant, conference coordinator, and treasurer—a decision that led MUFON’s Director of Research, Chris Cogswell, to resign in protest the following year.

More recently, Ken Pfeifer, MUFON State Director for Rhode Island and Vermont, and Chief Investigator for New Jersey, created controversy when he posted a series of racially charged memes to Facebook. No action was taken by MUFON against Pfeifer, as a statement from the organization declared that they had found "NO evidence of racial bigotry on his PERSONAL Facebook page.”

Condemnation from the UFO community has been swift following Harzan’s arrest.

"Sad for the MUFON members who genuinely just want to study UFOs, but I have little sympathy for the organization itself. Jan Harzan should have been ousted when he dismissed John Ventre's racist comments as a 'both sides' issue. When someone shows you who they are, believe them,” said writer, researcher, and podcast host Tim Binnall.

The MUFON Board of Directors released the following statement on July 15th:

In light of recent events, Jan Harzan has been permanently removed as the Executive Director of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON).
Effective immediately, he will no longer serve any role in the organization.
David MacDonald, Executive Director Emeritus and a member of the MUFON Board of Directors, will now assume the duties of Executive Director. MUFON remains committed to its core mission: the study of UFOs for the benefit of humanity. This mission is greater than any one person or member of MUFON and supersedes all other considerations.
We will continue to move forward and focus on our mission statement.

Furthermore, beneath the statement, a disclaimer was added which read, "MUFON does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry). disability, marital status, sexual orientation,or military status, in any of its activities or operations; We believe in a totally inclusive environment."

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