High risk offender living in Halifax after sentence for airport kidnapping

A man who violently abducted a stranger at the Halifax airport more than seven years ago is now out of prison and living in the Halifax area, police said Friday.

Ross Nelson Garland, 57, was released from Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick on Friday after serving his full sentence for robbery and unlawful confinement. He was sentenced to eight years behind bars, but received four years of credit for time he'd already spent in custody.

"This information is provided to alert members of the public of his presence in our community," Halifax Regional Police Const. Dianne Penfound wrote in a statement.

"Any form of vigilante activity or other unreasonable conduct will not be tolerated."

In 2009, Garland abducted a woman from the Halifax Stanfield International Airport and forced her to withdraw about $5,000 at ATMs. His criminal record dates to 1977, including convictions for aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, uttering threats, break and enter, trafficking, theft, impaired driving and other offences.

The Parole Board of Canada assessed Garland as a high risk to reoffend. For the next eight years, he must give notice of any address change or change in financial situation. He is not permitted to own weapons, use controlled substances, or contact the woman he abducted or her family.

The parole board said two halfway houses have refused to accept Garland as a resident.

Garland is six feet three inches tall and weighs 276 pounds. He has brown eyes and brown hair.

• 'I screamed and I ran.': kidnap victim talks to CBC News in 2009