Sex offender entered US from BC border

Photo: CTV

Edmonton police confirm that high-risk sex offender Michael Stanley has been located in the U.S.

A high-risk sex offender, who went missing nine days ago and was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, has been located in the United States but is not in custody.

Police in Edmonton confirmed Thursday that Michael Sean Stanley, 48, crossed from British Columbia into Washington State at the Blaine border crossing on Monday evening.

Edmonton Police Det. Chris Hayduk told reporters that while police are aware of Stanley’s location, he has not yet been taken into custody. Hayduk did not say whether Stanley is still in Washington.

Edmonton Police Det. Chris Hayduk gives an update on the location of Michael Stanley at a press conference in Edmonton, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013.

Hayduk said local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. have been notified of Stanley’s whereabouts. However, the warrants he is wanted on in Canada “are not extendable into the U.S.”

When asked if his hands are tied now that Stanley has fled to the U.S., Hayduk replied: “Specifically we have no authority to go and get him, to my knowledge.”

Investigators will review what options, if any, they may have to get Stanley extradited.

Hayduk said police suspected Stanley may try to cross the border, and had alerted American authorities.

He said police are still investigating how Stanley gained entry to the U.S. despite the warrants out for his arrest.

The RCMP has been looking for Stanley since Oct. 1 when he vanished from Edmonton. Stanley had cut off his monitoring bracelet and there were unconfirmed sightings of him in Saskatchewan and southern Alberta.

His bracelet was later found in the city of Lloydminster, located on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.

Police confirmed that Stanley had fled Lethbridge, Alta., and his vehicle was seized from a Lethbridge home.

Stanley was released from prison in 2011 after serving a 32-month sentence for assault and forcible confinement.

According to police he has a long history of victimizing children and is currently on Alberta's high-risk offenders list.