MONTREAL - A 51-year-old fugitive is expected to be sent back to the United States within the next few days, barring any court request to delay his departure.
James Louis Whittlesey is on the FBI's wanted list, and was arrested Sunday morning near the Bell Centre in downtown Montreal. The arrest was made by Montreal police officers at the request of the FBI.
Whittlesey is accused of robbing a bank in Virginia last October and shooting at police during the robbery. He is also a suspect in armed robberies in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Whittlesey had been staying at the Welcome Hall Mission in Little Burgundy, where they were surprised to discover a dangerous fugitive was among them.
Welcome Hall Mission CEO Cyril Morgan said the homeless shelter doesn't judge, it simply helps people.
"You can walk in the door, no judgment; we don't want you to be disorderly. That's the only restriction," said Morgan.
Homeless missions often face a dilemma -- they have to protect the rights and the dignity of their clientele, but also must respect the law.
Morgan said arrests do take place, because some homeless people have a troubled past or behavioural issues.
"The police will not come into our premises," he said. "They will stay outside. They ask us if they do come in, but they will stay outside."
On a dating website for inmates, Whittlesey wrote that he was expected to be paroled in 2010, after serving a 25-year sentence for a string of armed robberies.
The new allegations mean he is now detained at the Rivieres des Prairies prison, awaiting extradition to the U.S.
While Whittlesey could delay his return with legal proceedings, he will probably not stay in the country, said immigration law expert Stephane Handfield.
"It's unlikely that a man with his profile and past would ever find a way to remain in Canada," said Handfield.
