Vancouver police issue sex offender warning

Police say Richard Ian Ellis “poses a risk of significant harm to the safety of young girls.”

Vancouver police have issued a warning to the public about a man they call “a high-risk sex offender” who will be living in the city.

Richard Ian Ellis was convicted in 2007 on charges of child pornography and sexual assault of a seven-year-old girl. The 66-year-old has completed his sentence for those charges and now resides in the City of Vancouver.

Ellis is currently bound by the terms of a “peace bond,” which means he may not be in possession of a computer for accessing the Internet, he may not be found in the company of children under age 18, he may not consume alcohol or drugs, and he must report all relationships, whether intimate or not.

Police say they believe Ellis “poses a risk of significant harm to the safety of young girls.” Anyone who witnesses Ellis in violation of the terms listed is asked to call 9-1-1.