Associated Press
SEATTLE — A sex offender who caused school closures before he fled Canada now lives a block away from a preschool in Seattle, according to registration records made public Monday.
Michael Sean Stanley cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet in Canada earlier this month, leading officials there to issue a public alert describing Stanley as an untreated, violent offender who posed a significant risk. Unconfirmed sightings of the Edmonton man led schools in several west-central Saskatchewan communities to lock their doors and keep children inside.
Stanley, an American citizen, crossed the border and was located in the Seattle area last week. Authorities asked him to register as a sex offender after Canadian officials decided not to seek extradition.
His address online is listed as an intersection just a block away from Pike Place Market, a scenic destination for both tourists and locals. It’s also near a preschool.
Stanley, who has a lengthy history of offenses against women and children, had been ordered to stay away from children.
Washington state’s sex offender registry listed Stanley on Monday as a transient “level 2” offender, meaning he has a moderate risk of re-offending. King County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Cindi West said that is the minimum level for a homeless offender.
West said local authorities are still gathering documentation from Canada to determine whether Stanley should be classified at a different level, such as the “level 3” designation reserved for high-risk offenders. She said it’s also possible he won’t be required to register as a sex offender here.
Unless an offender is being monitored by the state and has restrictions that determine where they can live, the person can live near a school or other child-focused facility, West said.
West said parents should remind their children about talking with strangers and have a pickup plan so a child at a school is not left waiting out on a corner somewhere. She said parents should have that due diligence all the time, since there are other offenders out there that haven’t got as much attention as Stanley.
“Unfortunately, there’s a lot more out there that are just not labeled or well known,” West said.
U.S. authorities have said there is no reason to arrest Stanley since Canada hasn’t pursued an extraditable warrant and he isn’t wanted for any crimes in the United States.
Because he currently lacks housing, Stanley will have to check in weekly at the local courthouse.
Stanley was released from jail in Canada in April 2011 after completing a 32-month sentence for assault and forcible confinement.
Stanley was being monitored by police under a peace bond, which Canadian authorities can get to impose conditions on individuals in the community. His peace bond has 20 conditions, including one ordering him to stay away from children.
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