Sex offender who fled Canada to Seattle registers near downtown preschool

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SEATTLE – A sex offender who caused school closures before he fled Canada now lives a block away from a preschool in Seattle, police records show.

Michael Sean Stanley cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet in Canada earlier this month. Canadian officials issued 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, a U.S. 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 offences 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. Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Cindi West said she was checking to see why Stanley was not given a “level 3” status reserved for high-risk offenders.

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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Follow AP Writer Mike Baker on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeBakerAP

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