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On Thursday June 2nd Lakes Area Police department will be hosting a Community Notification on a level 3 sex offender moving in to Lindstrom. The Community Notification Meeting will be held at 6 PM at the Lindstrom Community Center.

Thomas Joseph Stanton, 44, has been convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct or another offense that requires registration with law enforcement pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 243.166 or 243.167.

This offender is not wanted by the police at this time and has served the sentence imposed on him/her by the court. This notification is not intended to increase fear in the community. Law enforcement believes that an informed public is a safer public.

The Lakes Area Police Department, the supervising release agent, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections may NOT direct where the offender does or does not reside, nor can these agencies direct where he/she works or goes to school. The risk level of this offender has been determined based largely on his/her potential to re-offend based on his/her previous criminal behavior.

Convicted sexual and predatory offenders have always been released to live in our communities. It was not until the passage of the Registration Act that law enforcement had an ability track the movement of these offenders after their initial release. With the passage of the Community Notification Act law enforcement may now share information about many of these offenders with the public. Abuse of this information to threaten, harass or intimidate a registered offender is unacceptable and such acts could be charged as a crime. Such abuses could potentially end the ability of law enforcement to provide these notifications. If community notification ends the only person who wins is the offender. Many of these offenders derive their power from the opportunity that secrecy provides.

Offender abducted, assaulted and engaged in sexual contact with victim (adult female). Contact included penetration. Offender hid in victim's vehicle. Force and a weapon were used to gain compliance. Offender was not known to victim.

Stanton will be residing at Lake Lane, Lindstrom, MN 55045 (Lakes Area Police Department) after he is released in early June.

The Lakes Area Police Department is available to provide you with useful information on personal safety. The Lakes Area Police Department may be reached at (651) 257-0622. To report criminal activity by this offender or any other individual, please call 911.

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