Toronto police are warning the public that a high-risk sexual offender who befriended young boys and gave them sleeping pills has been released from prison.

Clarence Dean, 68, was released after serving a three-year federal custodial sentence for sexual assault and sexual interference.

He is at high-risk to re-offend again, according to assessments by Toronto police and federal prison officials.

Despite treatment, police said Dean has a long history of taking young boys on outings, buying them gifts or giving them money, and then sexually assaulting them.

In a case spanning seven years, police said as a close friend of one family, he regularly brought two boys to his apartment on weekends and gave them sleeping pills to gain their compliance. The boys, who were six years old when the assaults began, thought of him as a grandfather figure and called him “Uncle Art.”

While in the community, Dean must report to police weekly and not contact his prior victims. He may not attend a public park, swimming area or community centre where people under age 18 are present, or a day-care centre, school ground, playground or arcade.

He is restricted from communicating with or being in the company of anyone under the age of 18 and also any person he knows to be involved in criminal activity.