RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - A 1908 home in a popular Fan neighborhood, seized by U.S. Marshals, will hit the auction block Saturday.
It was seized after a major meth bust in March 2011, as part of Operation Endgame, which investigated statewide methamphetamine trafficking.
Stephen D. Hahne Jr., 44, was allowed dealers to operate out of his home in exchange for cheap access to methamphetamine. The indictment showed that dealers received, stored, distributed and used meth at the 2240 Park Avenue location.
The house, located near Strawberry Street, was assessed by the city at $730,000. City records show that Hahne bought the two-story, 4,212-square-foot home in 2005.
Hahne was convicted, and then sentenced in Sept. 2011, and the government sought the forfeiture of his house.
While methamphetamine is a toxic and extremely dangerous drug to manufacture, it does not appear that the drug was ever manufactured within the home. Rather, the home served as a base for importing and exporting the drug.
Meth clean-up can be very expensive and exposure to the chemicals can produce numerous health side-effects. Nothing in the indictments or conviction of Hahne indicate that the drug was ever cooked on site.
The opening bid starts at $100,000. The auction sale is July 28, at 6 p.m. and the home will be open for viewing two hours before the auction.
The house is a five bedroom, 3.5 bath with a detached two-car garage and spacious front porch. The auction listing states that the interior has hardwood floors, a beautiful wooden staircase, numerous fireplaces with mantels, elevated ceilings and custom moldings throughout.
Additionally, there is also a modern, updated kitchen with high-end counter-tops and cabinetry, pendant lighting and breakfast bar.
The home was built in 1908 on a .09 acre lot. The auction listing, using 2011 rates, states that taxes are approximately $5,274.
