High-risk sex offender James O'Kane released, expected to settle in Winnipeg

Winnipeg police warn women after James Joseph O'Kane, 35, convicted of violent sexual assault, is released and expected to live in the city.

Winnipeg police warn women after release of violent sex offender

The Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit and Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) are warning women in Winnipeg about a convicted sexual offender now living in the city, Global News Crime reports.

James Joseph O'Kane, 35, was released Monday from the Bowden Institution in Innisfail, Alberta. Despite participating in some treatment programming during his sentence, O'Kane is still considered a high risk to reoffend sexually against women, authorities said in a news release issued Tuesday.

O'Kane was convicted in May 2021 of sexual assault causing bodily harm, forcible confinement and uttering threats, receiving a sentence of just under six years in prison. The charges stemmed from an attack on a woman in October 2016.

According to the release, O'Kane dragged the victim down an alley, then sexually assaulted, choked and threatened to kill her while wielding a knife. "There was some planning of the attack as O'Kane had a very brief interaction with the victim and watched her before arming himself with a knife and attacking her," the release stated.

Authorities also noted that substance use was a factor in O'Kane's offences, and that he had an additional conviction for failing to comply with a release order.

Following his release from the Alberta institution, O'Kane is subject to parole conditions and a lifetime weapons ban.

Police describe O'Kane as approximately six feet tall and 266 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and a tattoo on his right forearm reading "LIFE."

Source: Global News Crime