Kingston Police issue notice of release of high-risk offender

Editorial note: This article has now been updated with details on what happened between Watts’ first release in February and this release.

For the second time this year, Kingston Police are issuing a ‘community safety notice’ regarding the release of high-risk offender, Chris Watts, 62.

Originally released from custody in February, Kingston Police issued a similar notice on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. According to Kingston Police and the Correctional Services of Canada (CSC), Watts’ February release was suspended the following month, when authorities learned that he had “met with a female in the community and failed to report this relationshipmet with a female in the community and failed to report this relationship.”

“In addition to this, Watts was reported to have briefly entered exclusion zones where he was prohibited to be. Christopher Watts was sent back to custody and has now been released on his new Statutory release date,” Const. Ash Gutheinz, Media Relations Officer for Kingston Police, said in an email.

“It is in the best interest of the public to be aware that Christopher Watts has returned to Kingston.”

Police said Watts is “deemed a high-risk offender currently on statutory release,” who will be “residing within the Kingston area and will have access to our community.”

“This notice is being issued as Kingston Police believe he may pose a risk to the community, particularly to females, including females under 18 years of age,” police said in the notice issued on Wednesday, Jun. 22, 2022.

Watts will now resume a Long Term Supervision Order following the completion of his current sentence, Kingston Police said. That Order will be in effect until April of 2027, and will be monitored by the Kingston Police High-Risk Offender Unit and Correctional Services of Canada.

Kingston Police detailed that Watts’ statutory release includes the following “strict conditions” for public safety:

• Not to associate with any person you know or have reason to believe is involved in criminal activity
• Immediately report all intimate sexual and non-sexual relationships and friendships with females to your parole supervisor
• No direct or indirect contact with persons listed as victims
• No direct or indirect contact with any member of the victim’s family
• Not to be in the presence of any male or female child under the age of 18 years unless you are accompanied by a responsible adult who knows your criminal history, and has been previously approved in writing by your parole supervisor. Not to communicate directly or indirectly with any female children under the age of 18 years unless it has been previously approved in writing by your parole officer
• Not to be in, near, or around places where children under the age of 18 are likely to congregate such as elementary and secondary schools, parks, swimming pools, and recreational centers unless accompanied by an adult previously approved in writing by your parole supervisor
• Not to own, use, or possess a computer or any technological device that would allow you unsupervised access to the internet without prior written approval of your parole officer and while in a supervised setting
• Not to view, possess, purchase, acquire, or access any pornography or sexually explicit material or images in any form or on any type of media without the prior written permission of your parole supervisor.
• Not to own or possess more than one mobile communication device, or subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, without prior written permission from your parole supervisor. Provide your parole supervisor with detailed billing statements showing all incoming and outgoing calls upon request. Provide unlocked telecommunication devices, to allow monitoring of features including text messaging, call logs, instant messaging, photos, videos, emails, social media, and financial applications upon request from your parole supervisor. Not to purge information from the device(s) without the prior consent of your parole supervisor
• Not to own or possess any audio or video recording device, including but not limited to cameras, video recorders, and audio recorders. If a cell phone contains such functions, it must disable the functions and provide access to your parole officer supervisor
• Not to consume, purchase, or possess drugs other than prescribed medication taken as prescribed and over the counter drugs taken as recommended by the manufacturer
• Not to consume, purchase or possess alcohol
• Follow treatment plan in the area of sexual deviancy, violence, and engrained criminal values
• Provide documented financial information to the satisfaction of your parole supervisor as per a schedule to be determined by your parole supervisor. Not to possess any banking document including credit cards, debit cards, bank cards, or cheques without the prior written permission of your parole supervisor
• Reside at an address approved by the Correctional Service of Canada
• Your territorial boundary is defined as the area bound by Highway 401 to the North, Lake Ontario to the South, Rideau River to the East, and Collins Bay Road to the West
• Not to enter the City of Toronto, Ontario without prior written permission from your parole supervisor
• Not to enter the City of Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario without prior written permission from your parole supervisor

Watts is described as standing 6’0” and weighing 170 lbs, with brown eyes and short brown hair.

Anyone with information regarding potential breaches of the conditions listed above, or concerns of any suspicious activity regarding Watts is asked to contact Kingston Police at 613-549-4660.

Tips can also be made anonymously by calling the Kingston Police general number (613-549-4660 ext. 0) and requesting to remain anonymous, or by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).