UPDATE: The high-risk sex offender police were searching for is back in custody.
A Canada-wide warrant was issued for 36-year-old James Patrick Benson and with the help of the RCMP, Benson was arrested in Coquitlam without incident.
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Police are looking for a wanted sex offender with a history of violent offences after he fled his Vancouver halfway house.
Thirty-six-year-old James Patrick Benson, who is a two-time federal offender with offences including attempted murder and sexual assault with a weapon, was granted statutory release on Thursday. Benson is serving a long-term supervision order with several conditions.
After fleeing his halfway house, police put out a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest. According to police, Benson has ties to both Calgary and Vancouver.
Benson is described as white, 5’10” tall, 200 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He has several 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 his shoulders.
Anyone with information on Benson’s whereabouts is asked not to approach him and call 911 immediately.