Police have found the vehicle of a high-risk offender who has been missing for over a week and say he may be hiding out in the Lethbridge area.
RCMP issued a public warning on Monday about Michael Sean Stanley, 48, and say he is a high-risk, violent, sexual offender who poses a significant risk of harm to the community.
Police say Stanley left Edmonton on October 1 and his electronic monitoring bracelet was later found on the roof of a Lloydminster business.
Lethbridge police seized Stanley’s purple Chevrolet Blazer from a west-side home and confirm he was in the city on October 4, 2013.
Police say that he also has familial ties to Lethbridge but his current whereabouts are unknown.
“Mr. Stanley has familial connections in the city. He did attend. He was in the company of family. They have spoken with police, we have confirmed that information. He was in their company as recently as Friday, October 4, at which time he went AWOL. He has been missing since that time. His whereabouts have not been tracked,” said Staff Sgt. Ian Sanderson, LRPD Criminal Investigation Section.
Stanley is now wanted for breaching the conditions of his release and police say he has a long history of sexual offences against women and children.
“We encourage the public to take a look at Mr. Stanley’s picture. Be vigilant. Mr. Stanley has had a repeat history since the mid-1980s, in his early 20s, of a constant, chronic, violent criminal behavior. He has reoffended against youth and adults in many aggravated sexual occurrences and his behavior is believed to be, at this time, to be just as extreme as it was then,” said Sanderson.
Sanderson says that in January 2012 Stanley was arrested after he was found in the city in breach of his peace bond with a stolen vehicle.
“Mr. Stanley has ties to the community, both friends and family, so we believe that, based on his past history of being located and arrested here in 2012, along with his return to Lethbridge as quickly as he removed the bracelet on October 1, we believe he’s more than likely still in this area lying low,” said Sanderson.
Police say Stanley offended with an aggravated sexual assault in lethbridge in 1988 against a senior citizen and has a problem with alcohol.
“He proved at that point in time that victims were meaningless to him. He would offend in any way, shape or form. He has an alcoholism problem. He offends under the influence of alcohol. He has not changed that behavior. We’re aware that his time in the city here, he was consuming heavily so again his risk factors, all those different indicators that had proven true before in offending are back present again for him,” said Sanderson.
Sanderson says his most recent convictions in Edmonton were against a number of children.
Lethbridge police want to get him into custody as soon as possible and will then return him to Edmonton to face charges.
Anyone with information on Stanley’s whereabouts is asked to contact police at 403-328-4444.
