High-risk sex offender re-arrested after one day of freedom
Reason for return to custody not disclosed by police, but no crime suspected
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/05/2017 (3108 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A convicted sex offender considered a danger to females of any age and considered a high risk to re-offend in a sexually violent manner was released to live in Winnipeg Monday.
Tuesday, Michael James Fells was arrested in the city and returned to custody.
Winnipeg police announced the arrest of the 34-year-old sex offender Wednesday.
Police made the arrest after the parole division of Corrections Canada flagged the man’s release for undisclosed reasons.
Fells was under a long-term supervision order until 2028, and numerous parole conditions.
Police declined to release details on where they took him into custody but a spokeswoman said there had been no complaints from the public and no suspected crimes were linked to him during his one day of freedom.
The Correctional Service of Canada issued a warrant of apprehension, suspension and recommitment to custody of statutory release Tuesday. Members of the Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offenders Unit picked Fells up without incident at 10:30 a.m. and returned him to custody.
Fells did not participate in treatment while he was in jail and he has a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for nine counts of sexual assault, uttering threats, forcible confinement, assault and numerous breaches of probation and recognizance orders. His victims range in age from nine to 80 years old.
His most recent crime was the sexual assault of a nine-year-old girl, the daughter of a friend. He grabbed her wrists, pushed her down, threatened and sexually assaulted her, police said in their initial announcement about Fells being released to live in Winnipeg. He is listed as a dangerous offender.
Fells was convicted on June 12, 2015, of sexual assault, forcible confinement, uttering threats and breaching a probation order.
Among his many parole conditions, Fells was prohibited for life from being in the presence of any children under 18 years of age unless accompanied by an adult aware of his criminal record, and approved by his parole supervisor. In addition, he is prohibited from going to public parks or swimming areas where children under 16 years of age could be, as well as daycare centres, school grounds, playgrounds and community centres. He is also under a lifetime weapons ban.
He is also prohibited from representing himself as having training or a degree in massage or reflexology. Another condition of his release prohibits him from touching any other person’s feet.
alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca