Joshua Leon Thomas is not allowed within 25 kilometres of a downtown Hope business and several Hope residents, as part of the conditions of his release from a 196-day jail sentence for criminal harassment.
Thomas must adhere to several conditions during his probation. These include not having direct or indirect communication with specific individuals, some of whom reside in Hope, and one downtown Hope business.
“You will not be found within a 25 km radius of the residence of any of those named persons. You will not attend any school, workplace or place of worship of any of those named persons,” the order states.
The Hope Standard refrains from publishing the individuals or business named in the probation order to protect their privacy.
Thomas is also prohibited from carrying a weapon, consuming any substances listed in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act or entering into a marriage or common-law relationship without his probation officer informing the person about his criminal record and offences.
Thomas was charged with criminal harassment – more commonly known as stalking – and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm. These offences occurred on July 19, 2017 in Hope.
Hope RCMP confirmed Thomas has been released from custody and that he has not been seen in Hope. Where he resides has not been made public.
“We don’t believe he’s in the Hope area. We have no information that suggests that he is in the Hope area,” said Staff Sgt. Karol Rehdner.
“We have nothing active where we’re searching for him at this point in time, unless he has breached his conditions.”
Rehdner said anyone who sees Thomas in Hope can contact RCMP, who will follow up to see if he has breached his release conditions.
Thomas previously served a nine-year sentence for aggravated sexual assault for a 2006 assault of a woman in Pickering, Ont.
At the time of his release in 2015, Durham Regional Police issued a public notification of his whereabouts in Oshawa.
So far, the B.C. RCMP has not notified the public of his whereabouts.
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