Women in Winnipeg are being cautioned after a high-risk sex offender, Justin David Levasseur, was released from federal custody on Wednesday.
Levasseur also goes by several first names – including Jay, Norman, “J” and “J Star,” — according to a community notification issued by the Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit.
Despite having participated in some treatment programming, the 36-year-old is still considered a high-risk offender.
Women, specifically, are at risk of sexual violence, according to police, who said Levasseur will live in a supervised setting in Winnipeg.
He’s described as being five-feet, nine-inches tall and roughly 236 lbs. He has brown eyes and black hair.
Levasseur has several tattoos, including one of the letter “J” on his neck and the letters “JL” on his left hand, and “Jay” on both shoulders. He has two other tattoos on his left forearm: a buffalo skull and headdress as well as his surname, police said.
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The community notice said Levasseur has a lengthy criminal record that includes being convicted for:
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- Sexual assault
- Forcible confinement
- Break and enter commit sexual assault
- Overcome resistance by attempting to choke
- Suffocate or strangle
- Assault cause bodily harm
- Assault (4 counts)
- Resist peace officer (2 counts)
- Escape lawful custody (2 counts)
- Obstruct peace officer (2 counts)
- Uttering threats
- Numerous breaches of probation, recognizance and court orders
Police have issued several warnings about him in the past, including in 2018 and twice in 2019.
His release from federal custody on Wednesday came after serving a six-year sentence handed down in November 2021. Levasseur was convicted of sexual assault and forcible confinement against a woman he met via Facebook.
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“He forcibly confined her in his residence and committed numerous sexual assaults, assaults, and uttered threats against her,” police said.
Those incidents took place in February and March 2021.
The now-36-year-old also faced the courts in 2016, related to an incident three years prior, police added.
After breaking into a stranger’s home, Levasseur sexually assaulted and choked a woman who lived there while she was asleep in her room, and her children were sleeping in another bedroom.
Levasseur is subject to several conditions, including that he cannot drink alcohol or take drugs. He must also avoid contact with known criminals and drug users as part of his parole. He is also banned from contacting his victims or their families.
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He is also subject to a lifetime weapons prohibition. Police said vigilante activity against Levasseur will not be tolerated.