The U.S. Marshals Service says it has no reason to track down or hold convicted sex offender Michael Stanley, who slipped away from Canadian authorities after removing his ankle bracelet last week.

"We have no reason to monitor him because he's not suspected of any crimes in the United States," said Jack Williams, acting deputy chief. "We don't monitor our citizens like that in the U.S."

At a news conference yesterday, Edmonton police said they knew where Stanley was, but Williams said he's not sure how they were aware of that.

"I've read news reports that law enforcement knows exactly where he is and have located him," he told CBC News Friday. "I don't know where that information came from."

Still, the federal justice minister's office said Friday that local authorities on both sides of the border are "taking measures to ensure this individual is arrested as quickly as possible and brought to justice."

"Once he is in custody, officials in the Department of Justice's international assistance group will facilitate any possible extradition requests on an urgent basis,” said press secretary Palomar Aguilar.

Williams said U.S. investigators are working with Canadian authorities to find out how the 48-year-old entered the U.S. despite a Canada-wide warrant issued a week earlier.

He said his office is working with police in Canada on issuing a provisional, or international, arrest warrant.

Police in several provinces have been searching for Stanley since he cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet on Oct. 1 in Lloydminster, located on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.

Stanley has been charged with five counts of breach of recognizance, mischief, driving without a valid driver’s licence, driving without registration and driving without insurance.