Police issue advisory regarding accused sex offender (Updated)

Here is the text of a public advisory issued at 11:30 this morning by the North Bay Police Service and Deputy Chief Paul Cook:
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The North Bay Police Service is issuing a public safety advisory in the wake of information received regarding an accused sex offender who is currently residing in North Bay.

This advisory is being given under the authority of the Community Safety Act and it’s being done after careful review between members of the Criminal Investigations Section and Chief Berrigan.

The subject of this advisory is Mr. Donald Scott Deblois, age 34.

Mr. Deblois was the subject of a similar release made by the London Police Service earlier this year and that related to his release from custody on two counts of aggravated sexual assault.

Mr. Deblois’s charges stem from an investigation by the London Police Service, which revealed Mr. Deblois was having unprotected sexual relations and was failing to advise his partners that he had been diagnosed with HIV.

Mr. Deblois is currently under court order. Conditions of this order include not to purchase, possess or consume alcohol or drugs unless prescribed, obey a curfew between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., use blood and body fluid precautions, not to have unprotected sex, and he’s required to notify his partner that he has HIV.

I wanted to make it very clear to the members of the media and members of the public that although Mr. Deblois poses a risk to the members of our community, he is still a citizen of Canada and is guaranteed rights under the Charter and as such the North Bay Police Service will also protect these rights if infringed upon.
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The following is an existing news release issued by the London Police Service regarding Donald Scott Deblois:
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The London Police Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section received a complaint that 34 year old Donald Scott DEBLOIS was knowingly having unprotected sexual relations and failing to advise his partners that he had been diagnosed with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Police have received information that he has had unprotected sex with eleven partners who have been at least partially identified. The investigation is continuing and will include interviews with all identified potential victims.

As a result of confirmation by one victim, DEBLOIS is being charged by way of Arrest Warrant for one count of Aggravated Sexual Assault. He is currently in custody having been charged by St. Thomas Police Service with an unrelated criminal offence. He will remain in custody on that matter and will appear in court on Tuesday February 3, 2004.

The London Police Service is making this public safety announcement and releasing DEBLOIS' name and photograph because of the strong possibility that he has had unprotected sexual relations with other persons who may be unaware that he has been diagnosed with HIV. Our information is that he has had such relations with males and females and that he has been infected with HIV since at least March of 2002. DEBLOIS is known to have resided in Toronto, London and St. Thomas.

London Police are asking individuals who have had sexual contact with DEBLOIS to call police at 661-5670. Those individuals can also call the Middlesex London Health Unit at 663-5317 ext 2330, after-hours 675-7523.