Police warn of high-risk sex offender living in Halifax area

Halifax Regional Police is advising the public that a high-risk offender is now living in the community.

In a release, police say Michael Gary Gilbert, 51, has completed a sentence for multiple sex crimes and they are advising the public in accordance with the Nova Scotia Release of a High-Risk Offender Information Protocol.

Gilbert, who is from New Brunswick, had been imprisoned for sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual interference with a person under 14, printing or publishing child pornography, possessing child pornography, printing or distributing obscene material, and possessing a Schedule II substance.

Halifax Regional Police said Gilbert is required to follow strict conditions which include:

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• Not having any contact with a person under the age of 16, unless under the supervision of a person who the court deems appropriate;
• Not engaging in any activity, employment or volunteer work that involves being in a position of trust or authority toward any person under the age of 16;
• Not using a computer system for the purpose of communicating with any person under the age of 16;
• Not attending any public park, public swimming area, daycare centre, school ground or community centre “where one might reasonably expect children under the age of 16 to be present.”

“This information is provided to alert members of the public of his presence in our community and is not intended to encourage any form of vigilante activity or other unreasonable conduct,” the release said.

Gilbert was arrested in January 2009 when police raided his home in Tracyville, N.B., after he was identified in child pornography found on a computer seized in Brazil.

In 2011, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but it was reduced to 10 years and eight months with time served.

In all, six boys ranging in age between four and 16 years old were his victims. He had taken about 17,000 sexually explicit images of the young boys, and about 500 videos.