Farmington Man Jacob Hanna Arrested for Alleged Sexual Assault of 15-Year-Old

Jacob Hanna, 27, of Farmington, was arrested Jan. 30 and booked into the San Juan County Detention Center on allegations that he forced a 15-year-old girl to smoke marijuana and then sexually assaulted her in the back of his pickup truck parked in the 2600 block of North Dustin Avenue, according to an arrest warrant affidavit and Farmington police.

Hanna is charged with criminal sexual penetration of a minor, a second-degree felony, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a fourth-degree felony. The complaint ties the alleged assault to a Nov. 4 incident, and investigators say the victim later underwent a safehouse interview in which she described being with her best friend, who was reportedly associated with Hanna, at the time of the alleged attack.

Police say the case came to light after the girl’s mother learned her daughter had tested positive for two sexually transmitted diseases during an exam at San Juan Regional Medical Center. The hospital testing and the subsequent safehouse interview are cited in the arrest warrant affidavit as central to the investigation.

When officers contacted Jacob Hanna, he told them, "I already dealt with that case," an apparent reference to a separate December 2021 allegation that Hanna sexually assaulted an 11-year-old. That earlier matter was dismissed in January after the alleged victim declined to participate in a second interview ordered by District Judge Curtis Gurley.

Beyond the immediate criminal allegations, the case highlights public health and child-protection intersections that are often invisible until a medical exam identifies an infection. Routine testing and reporting at San Juan Regional Medical Center led to a police referral in this instance, demonstrating how clinical screening, mandatory reporting rules, and child advocacy services can trigger investigations. For families, the episode underscores the importance of accessible sexual-health services for adolescents and clear pathways for confidential, trauma-informed medical care and reporting.

Community trust in local institutions matters in such cases. Safehouse interviews and the use of arrest warrant affidavits are standard steps intended to protect minors and preserve evidence, but they also depend on coordinated resources: hospital staff trained in forensic testing, child advocacy centers that can conduct interviews, and prosecutors who can pursue charges while safeguarding juvenile privacy.

For residents of San Juan County, the immediate next steps will be whether the San Juan County District Attorney files formal charges, the scheduling of an arraignment, and any further information released by Farmington police or court filings. The case also prompts local leaders and health providers to consider prevention measures, expanded youth sexual-health education, and strengthened support for victims navigating medical and legal systems.