Half Moon Bay man arrested in 2018 sexual assault on teen

Matthew Hann, a 22-year-old Half Moon Bay resident, was arrested on unrelated sexual assault charges and the victim "immediately recognized him as the suspect who assaulted her" when she saw his photo in the newspaper.

A Half Moon Bay man recently arrested by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office on sexual assault charges is facing additional charges after a juvenile who was sexually assaulted in 2018 recognized him from a suspect photo that appeared in a local newspaper.

The victim in the 2018 case was 15 when a man who used force to sexually assault her while she was walking her dog on the morning of July 3 at the Coast Side Trail.

The teenager was able to defend herself and flee her attacker.

The next day she reported the incident to the sheriff's office, but investigators did not have enough information to identify a suspect.

Matthew Hann, a 22-year-old Half Moon Bay resident, was arrested on unrelated sexual assault charges and the victim "immediately recognized him as the suspect who assaulted her" when she saw his photo in the newspaper.

Hann was arrested for the 2018 incident on Friday at his residence on charges of assault with intent to commit rape, and sexual penetration with force on a minor.

Anyone who has information about the suspect or has been victimized by him is asked to contact Detective Ron Derespini at (650) 363-4055 or rderespini@smcgov.org, or Detective Sgt. Joe Cang at (650) 363-4008 or jcang@smcgov.org.