A violent sexual offender convicted of two rapes and a third sexual assault is returning to the Yukon.

An RCMP notification that went out Wednesday afternoon says 43-year-old Frank Ladue will be released from prison shortly. He has chosen to return to the Yukon and reside in Whitehorse.

The native of Ross River was sentenced two years ago for sexually assaulting a woman who was passed out from alcohol consumption, but awoke as Ladue was taking her clothes off.

The court heard back in December 2003 that Ladue nicknamed in his hometown as the 'blanket man' has a propensity for raping women who have passed out.

Twice, he was convicted for rape under those circumstances. In the latest conviction, not only did the woman wake up, but others in the residence also interrupted the sexual assault, the court heard.

'Frank Ladue has been convicted of sexual offences, and is considered a moderate to high risk to re-offend,' reads the RCMP public notice. 'He is also deemed to be a moderate to high risk to re-offend violently.'

During sentencing, the Crown initially sought a dangerous offender designation from the court, which empowers correctional institutes to keep the prisoner for as long as they deem him a danger.

The Crown, however, settled for long-term offender status, which empowered the correctional system to impose post-prison supervision for up to 10 years.

The sentencing judge, territorial court Judge John Faulkner, imposed a seven-year term of post-prison supervision, after describing Ladue as a serial offender.

Debra Kihara, a spokeswoman for the National Parole Board, said this afternoon that Ladue is eligible for statutory release tomorrow, having completed two-thirds of his three-year prison sentence. He will begin the seven-year, long-term period of supervision next Dec. 2, at the conclusion of the three-year sentence.

It was noted during sentencing two years ago that Ladue is an accomplished carver, and does well in society while remaining sober.

The 2002 offence occurred after he'd been released from jail and had completed his term of probation, after the supervision by the Yukon's sex offender management staff had come to an end.

A forensic psychiatrist told the court during sentencing that he was not optimistic about treatment. He told the court that because Ladue's victims included relatives and strangers, that it was his belief no individual was off-limits.

Ladue had been depressed most of his life, his childhood marred by tragedy, as both parents were dead by the time he was 10, one of them by murder. He suffered sexual abuse at the Lower Post, B.C. Indian residential school, and at the hands of community members, the psychiatrist testified.

RCMP spokeswoman Brigitte Parker said today the parole board is responsible for releasing details of Ladue's release.

She said the Yukon's committee responsible for reviewing files of offenders freed from prison was notified by the parole board, reviewed Ladue's file and requested the RCMP to issue a public notice of his pending release.

With the approval of the commanding officer, the police issued the notice, Parker said.

Ladue is of aboriginal ancestry, is six feet tall and weighs 203 pounds.

The notification says he is to abstain from all toxicants, to reside at a specific place and return there nightly. He is also obligated to follow any treatment recommended by his counsellor.

The RCMP are asking anyone observing Ladue in breach of his conditions to contact the RCMP.

A member of the Yukon sex offender treatment staff told the court during his last sentencing that Ladue's treatment needs community members to stand up when they see Ladue falling back into trouble. Community members need to tell him they won't stand by and let him hurt somebody else, the staff member told the court.

Details of the decision by the parole board were unavailable this morning.