Child sex offender expected to live in Winnipeg a high risk to reoffend, police warn

Winnipeg police are warning the public about a 47-year-old convicted sex offender who is being released from jail on Tuesday.

James Sheldon Jasper is considered a high risk to reoffend after he was convicted of numerous sexual offences against children, Winnipeg police said in a news release.

He is expected to live in Winnipeg after his release from Headingley Correctional Centre.

Although Jasper has participated in sexual offender treatment, police say young boys in particular are at risk, and that he has groomed some of his victims.

Jasper was convicted in November 2003 of a sexual offence against a 10-year-old boy. Heinvited the boy into his car and drove him to a secluded area where he sexually assaulted him, police said.

He was sentenced to 26 months in jail followed by a 10-year long-term supervision order, and released from prison inJanuary 2006.

Since then, he has breached his supervision and probation orders multiple times, police said, including breaching orders that prohibit him from being near a daycare or park. Those breaches led to further periods in custody.

After his release on Tuesday, Jasper will be on supervised probation andwon't be allowed to have contact with people under the age of 16, unless he's supervised by someone the court considers appropriate, police say.

He also won't be allowed to attend daycares, school grounds, playgrounds, community centres and other places where people under the age of 16 are expected to be present.

Jasper is described as five feet, eight inches tall and 210 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He also hasscars on his neck and forehead.

Police say the information about Jasper's release is intended"to enable members of the public to take suitable measures to protect themselves," and warn that "any form of vigilante activity or other unreasonable conduct" directed at Jasper will not be tolerated.

Anyone who has information about Jasper that requires police attention isasked to call the high-risk sex offender unit at 431-489-8056, the Winnipeg Police Service at 204-986-6222, any local RCMP detachment or Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477 (toll free at 1-800-222-8477).