A man previously convicted of human trafficking of children is living at an Ontario centre offering services for children with autism, police say, prompting a community safety advisory.
Ontario Provincial Police issued the advisory Monday, warning of a sex offender living in Essa Township, which is near Barrie.
Lauriston Charles Maloney, 42, “resides at, and has regular access to” the Beating the Odds centre, which offers services for children with autism, police said.
“Maloney is a convicted sex offender with several prior convictions, which include human trafficking of children,” the advisory read.
OPP Sgt. Jason Folz told Global News Maloney faced charges in Peel Region and was convicted in 2004 and 2013.
“It’s a total of 16 criminal charges related to human trafficking and trafficking of minor age children, which has put him on the sex offender registry,” Folz said.
Folz said the location where Beating the Odds is operated out of is a residence.
Maloney is not under any conditions relating to associating with young children, Folz said, which “upped the ante” in releasing the advisory.
Folz noted that the convictions are not in relation to the Beating the Odds facility.
The OPP said they were releasing the information as a precautionary measure.
“Members of the public are reminded that, although Maloney does present a safety risk, his rights are guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” the advisory said.
“As such, the Nottawasaga OPP will act to protect these rights if they are infringed.”
Police said they issued the advisory after a “careful review of the offender as it relates to issues of public safety.”
“The Police Services Act permits the commissioner of the OPP, the local chief of police, or his/her designate, to make public notification regarding high-risk offenders in the community if the community’s safety will be enhanced by the release of the offender’s personal information,” the OPP noted.
Global News attempted to receive comment from the Beating the Odds facility regarding Maloney but did not receive a response by the time of publication.