if they can’t protect you, maybe they need to let you protect yourself !!!!!

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Violent sex offender walks away from halfway house
Date: Mar 7, 2006 1:56 PM
PUBLICATION: Vancouver Sun
DATE: 2006.03.07
EDITION: Final
SECTION: WestCoast News
PAGE: B3
COLUMN: Law and Order
BYLINE: Chad Skelton
SOURCE: Vancouver Sun
DATELINE: VANCOUVER
ILLUSTRATION: Colour Photo: (Derek) Smarch
WORD COUNT: 153

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Police issue warning after violent sex offender walks away from halfway
house

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VANCOUVER – Police are warning the public about a violent sex offender
who walked away from a halfway house in Vancouver Saturday.

Derek Smarch, 26, has a history of using firearms during the commission
of his offences, and primarily targets teenage females with whom he has
a casual acquaintance.

“He is a repeat and untreated sex offender with a lengthy criminal
record for sexual and other violent offences,” Const. Tim Fanning said.

Alcohol and drugs have also been factors in many of his offences,
Fanning said.

In August 2004, a judge in Whitehorse sentenced Smarch to two years in
prison after he pleaded guilty to two sexual assaults.

In one incident, in July 2001, Smarch was visiting a woman’s home in
Whitehorse and met her 13-year-old niece. As the woman lay passed out
from too much alcohol, Smarch kissed her niece and asked her to have
sex. When the girl refused, Smarch forced her down on a couch and raped
her.

Smarch is 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds. He is aboriginal with short black
hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on Smarch’s whereabouts is asked to contact
Vancouver police.