Sex offender allowed into U.S. after records check

By Mike Baker, Associated Press

Published Friday, Oct. 11, 2013 | 4:41 p.m.

Updated Friday, Oct. 11, 2013 | 7:35 p.m.

SEATTLE — A high-risk sex offender being sought in Canada was allowed back into United States after authorities determined that he was a U.S. citizen and not the subject of an extraditable arrest warrant, a U.S. law enforcement official said Friday.

The federal official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to address an ongoing law enforcement matter, said U.S. authorities were aware of a warning from Canada that Michael Sean Stanley might try to cross the border. But officials allowed Stanley through the border in Blaine, Wash., after reviewing his information in a biometric records check and finding they had no legal authority to extradite him.

Patrycia Thenu, a spokeswoman for the Edmonton Police Service in Canada, said she couldn't comment on what should or should not have happened at the border. She said authorities are now looking into the extradition process and working with other agencies in Canadian government on that effort.

"The detectives would like to see Mr. Stanley arrested and held accountable," Thenu said.

Jack Williams, the acting chief deputy of the U.S. Marshals Service in western Washington, said there is nothing law enforcement here can do about Stanley's case unless there is a provisional arrest warrant for authorities to act on.

Stanley has a long history of sexual offenses against women and children and has been missing since Oct. 1, when he cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet around the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary, according to authorities. Last week, schools in several west-central Saskatchewan communities locked their doors and kept children inside after police got multiple, unconfirmed sightings of the Edmonton man.

Stanley is wanted in Canada on charges of breach of recognizance and mischief and driving offenses. He was released from jail 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 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.

Thenu said there were definitely concerns within the community when Stanley breached some of those conditions.

"There is a reason why he was being monitored and wearing a monitoring bracelet," Thenu said.

Thenu said authorities in Canada are working with several law enforcement agencies in the United States. She said they have leads on Stanley's location, but she declined to discuss those, saying detectives don't want him to further evade police.