PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man convicted of human trafficking and multiple sex crimes will remain behind bars for at least 20 years after the Washington State Supreme Court last week declined to review his case.
The ruling leaves intact the convictions of 61-year-old Patrick Callahan, who was found guilty in 2022 of human trafficking in the second degree with sexual motivation, rape in the third degree, and sexual misconduct with a minor.
Prosecutors said the abuse began when Callahan met the victim in California, where he offered food and shelter to a young girl from an impoverished family, then manipulated and sexually exploited her for years — continuing the abuse after moving to Port Angeles. When she resisted, Callahan threatened to send her back to California, where her parents struggled to provide basic needs.
In rejecting his appeal, the state’s high court upheld a Court of Appeals decision finding that human trafficking does not require a third party to be involved. The court said jurors had sufficient evidence to conclude that Callahan coerced the victim into sexual acts in exchange for food, housing, and other necessities — “things of value” under Washington’s trafficking statute.
Callahan is serving a 20-year sentence at a state prison. After that, the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board will decide if he remains incarcerated. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life and is under a lifetime sexual assault protection order.