Following reports of suspicious behaviour from a convicted sex offender in Dawson City, Whitehorse RCMP arrested and then released 41-year-old Richard Overton. Police say Overton has no fixed address.
According to the RCMP, police in Dawson City received reports of suspicious behaviour linked to Overton beginning on Nov. 6.
“RCMP began comprehensive investigations into seven reports of suspicious behaviour and all were linked to Mr. Overton. In a background investigation into Richard Overton, police learned that he was a convicted sex offender and not complying with certain reporting requirements,” a statement from the RCMP following his arrest reads.
Police say they located Overton in Whitehorse on Nov. 12 with assistance from the public.
“He was arrested, charged, and held for court in the afternoon. Mr. Overton was subsequently released by a justice on several conditions, and his next scheduled court appearance is set for November 24, in Whitehorse,” an RCMP statement reads.
Court records show that Overton was charged with making death threats against the patrons and staff of a downtown Whitehorse restaurant on Nov. 12. It says those charges were waved the following day.
Police did not respond to a request for more specific information on Overton’s suspicious behaviour in Dawson or if the RCMP was aware of his whereabouts as of Nov. 15. They did not specify the conditions he had breached or the new conditions imposed on him in the statement about his arrest.
“Police recognize that there were significant safety concerns from the public around these investigations, and appreciate the calls for service alerting police to suspicious behaviour,” The Nov. 13 statement reads.
In late 2016, the Edmonton police service issued a public notice warning that Overton would be living in the city. The notice states that the Edmonton police considered him a sexual offender who posed a significant risk of harm to the community particularly teenaged girls and young women.
Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com