Updated story for Oct. 22, 12:45 p.m.

A high-risk violent sex offender who fled Canada and was located in Seattle by authorities on Oct. 17 was arrested in West Seattle in the early morning hours of Oct. 22 for investigation of sexual assault of a teen victim and harassment.

Michael Sean Stanley, 48, has made the international news rounds in the past week after he was allowed entry into the United States.

After registering as a homeless sex offender with the King County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 19 nothing had been heard until Stanley reemerged in West Seattle. According to police, several people called 911 shortly before 6 a.m. on Oct. 22 to report a man was yelling in an alleyway near the 2400 block of 44th Ave. S.W. (behind the Admiral Theater).

One witness told police he asked the screaming man to quiet down and Stanley allegedly threatened to assault him. Police say Stanley was combative with officers when they arrived and claimed to be armed with a knife. During his arrest a small knife was recovered and officers noted he “appeared intoxicated.”

Afterward, further police investigation and an incoming tip revealed Stanley allegedly sexually assaulted a 16-year-old boy prior to his arrest.

According to police, Stanley met the 16-year-old at a West Seattle grocery store. From there, police said he allegedly “struck up a conversation with the teen and walked him to an alley in the 2400 block of 44th Ave. S.W.” where he gave the teen alcohol, grabbed him and sexually assaulted him.

Police said the 16-year-old pulled a knife on Stanley and was able to escape.

The alley near the 2400 block of 44th Ave. S.W. is near the Admiral Junction (just west of California Ave. S.W.), home to nearby child care, elementary and high school institutions.

Stanley’s journey to Seattle began on Oct. 1 when, according to an Associated Press report from Mike Baker, he disappeared near the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary in Canada after cutting off an electronic monitoring bracelet. Schools in the area were put on lockdown after his disappearance as authorities searched for the man with “a long history of sexual offenses against women and children …” including a recent 32-month prison stint for assault and forcible confinement involving minors.

Through tips, Seattle Police and U.S. Marshals located Stanley at the corner of 2nd and Yesler in downtown Seattle on Oct. 17, yet they could not arrest him as he had not committed any crimes in the U.S. and Canada decided not to extradite him. Based on his history, however, the King County Sheriff’s Office was able to require he register as a sex offender, which he did the next day.

KCSO spokeswoman Sgt. Cindi West said Stanley registered as homeless with a general address of 1st and Pike, downtown. He was classified as a level 2 sex offender (moderate risk to reoffend), the base classification for homeless offenders. West said his classification could be moved up to a 3 (high risk to reoffend) after they have had a chance to review his Canadian arrest record and run his history through the state’s scoring system for offenders.

Stanley is currently booked in King County jail and is scheduled to make a court appearance later this week.

SPD and the King County Sheriff’s Office “are now working to determine how this (arrest) will impact his offender status,” according to SPD.

Correction: Stanley is an American citizen. Updated the headline on Oct. 22 to reflect he is not Canadian.

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Update for Oct. 22, 11:45 p.m.
Seattle Police are now investigating Canadian sex offender Micheal Sean Stanley for a sexual assault in West Seattle after more details came to light after this morning's arrest.

Here is the update from SPD's Blotter:

Shortly after arresting sex offender Michael Sean Stanley this morning, Seattle police received information that he may be the suspect in a sexual assault in West Seattle earlier today.

According to the report police received this morning, Stanley met a 16-year-old male at a grocery store, struck up a conversation with the teen, and walked with him to an alley in the 2400 block of 44th Ave. SW. In the alley, Stanley plied the teen with alcohol, grabbed the teen, and sexually assaulted him.

The 16-year-old pulled a knife on Stanley and was able to run to another location and contact police.

Detectives believe this incident may have preceded several calls to police about noise and threats in the alleyway. After investigating those complaints this morning, officers arrested Stanley for harassment.

Stanley, who fled Canada and entered the US earlier this month, is currently in the King County Jail, but will be re-booked on additional charges today.
Stanley is currently registered as a sex offender and is under the supervision of the King County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities are now working to determine how this will impact his offender status.

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Original post
Seattle Police just announced the arrest of Michael Sean Stanley for investigation of harassment in West Seattle after he was found threatening people and yelling on the 2300 block of 44th Ave. S.W. in the early morning hours of Oct. 22.

Stanley has been widely reported on this past week after Seattle Police and US Marshals found him in the downtown core. Stanley had reportedly fled Canada where he is known to have committed predatory crimes, and was required by the King County Sheriff's Office to register as a sex offender after Canada declined to extradite him.

Here are the details on this morning's arrest from Seattle Police (and we will update when we get more information):

Seattle police have arrested Sean Michael Stanley, a violent sex offender who fled Canada and entered the US earlier this month.

Just before 6 AM this morning, police received several reports that a man was yelling in an alley near the 2300 block of 44th Avenue SW in West Seattle.

One caller told police that when he’d asked the man to quiet down, the man had threatened to assault him.

When police arrived at the scene, they found Stanley, who became combative with officers and claimed he had a knife.

After finding a small knife on Stanley, who appeared intoxicated, officers booked him into the King County Jail for harassment.