61-Year-Old Sex Offender Solicited Boy In Newport Beach, Police Say

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — A 61-year-old convicted sex offender pleaded guilty Monday to soliciting an underage boy in Newport Beach.

David James Hanggie pleaded guilty to one felony count of child annoyance with a previous sex conviction, according to court records. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison.

Prosecutors said Hanggie used social media and went to high school football games to try to solicit minors in 2024 and 2025.

Newport Beach police said Hanggie displayed "grooming-type" behavior to his victims.

He was previously convicted in 1994 in Los Angeles County of lewd acts on a child, according to court records.

Hanggie also had a prior strike for kidnapping out of Fresno County in 1989, court records show.

According to the LA Times, Hanggie was determined to be a sexually violent predator and was sent to a state mental health institution when he was charged in June 2009 with attempted murder for stabbing a fellow patient at Coalinga State Hospital with a handmade knife.

Hanggie was sentenced to 24 years in prison as his two prior strikes were not imposed.