Update: A 36-year-old man who Vancouver police deemed a high-risk offender has now been arrested.
Police issued an alert on Friday that James Patrick Benson had fled his half-way house in Vancouver one day after he granted statutory release from prison.
The two-time federal offender has a history of violent offences, including attempted murder and sexual assault with a weapon.
But police say Benson has been arrested in Coquitlam without incident.
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Earlier story:
VANCOUVER — Police are on the hunt for a high-risk sex offender who fled his halfway house as soon as he got out of jail on statutory release.
The Vancouver Police Department’s high-risk offenders unit warned the public Friday about James Patrick Benson.
The 36-year-old two-time federal offender has a history of violence including convictions for attempted murder and sexual assault with a weapon.
Benson was granted statutory release Thursday and is on a long-term supervision order with several conditions.
“He fled from his Vancouver halfway house and a Canada-wide warrant has been issued for his arrest,” said VPD spokesman Const. Brian Montague in a statement released at noon Friday.
Montague said Benson has been the subject of an earlier public warning.
He is white, five-foot-10, 200 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He has a number of tattoos, including the numbers 011707 on his left wrist, the word “MORBID” on his left forearm, “LOST SOUL” on his chest and red stars on both shoulders.
He has ties to both Calgary and Vancouver.
Anyone who knows his whereabouts or sees him is asked not to approach but to call 911.
