Sex offender who fled from Canada under investigation for sexual assault

Michael Sean Stanley, a violent sex offender who fled Canada earlier this month, was arrested in West Seattle Tuesday morning and is now being investigated for sexual assault.

Stanley will appear in a Seattle court on Wednesday after being jailed for investigation of harassment.

Seattle police say they received several reports that a man was yelling in an alley near the 2300 block of 44th Avenue SW in West Seattle.

According to a police report, Tuesday morning, Stanley met a 16-year-old boy at a grocery store, struck up a conversation with the teen and walked with him to the alley. He reportedly provided him with alcohol, grabbed the teen, and sexually assaulted him.

The 16-year-old pulled a knife on Stanley, ran to a nearby location and called police.

Detectives believe this incident may have preceded several calls to police about noise and threats.

A caller told police that Stanley had threatened to assault him after he asked him to quiet down.

Police say Stanley became combative with officers and claimed he had a knife, which they did find on him. Police say he also appeared to be drunk.

Stanley was booked into the King County Jail for harassment. He could face additional charges.

Stanley was the subject of a widespread search after crossing into Washington state. Even though he was under supervision for committing a number of sex offenses against women and children, border officials could not stop him because he is a U.S. citizen without any pending charges in the United States.

Stanley registered as a sex offender with the King County Sheriff’s Office last week. He is currently staying just a block from a daycare center in downtown Seattle.

Authorities cannot restrict sex offenders from living near a school or day care unless they are being monitored by the Department of Corrections and have specific restrictions dictating where they can live.

KIRO Radio’s Josh Kerns contributed to this report.