A 37-year-old high-risk sex offender is planning to move to Albert Lea within the next two weeks upon his release from prison, police officials announced this week.

At the time of release, the Level 3 offender, Jabar Pedro Morarend, will have served his sentence imposed by the court. He is planning to move to the 1600 block of Frank Hall Drive. He has family who live in town.

Albert Lea Police Chief Dwaine Winkels said the notification of Morarend’s release is not intended to increase fear in the community, but instead to create a safer, more informed public.

Police will be holding a community notification meeting about the release at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Crossroads Church. At the meeting there will be a panel — made up of Albert Lea Police Detective Frank Kohl and representatives from the Crime Victims Crisis Center, the Minnesota Department of Corrections and the Freeborn County Attorney’s Office — available to answer questions.

A notification fact sheet released by the Albert Lea Police Department states Morarend went to prison after he was convicted of engaging in sexual contact — including penetration — with a woman. He used force, threats and a weapon to gain compliance and gained access to the victim, who did not previously know him, by entering her home without permission, according to the notification sheet. The Northfield Police Department was the investigating agency.

Winkels said because Morarend will have served his time in prison upon his release, the Department of Corrections will have no control over where he works or lives. He will be required to register as a Level 3 sex offender. A Level 3 sex offender is someone who has a high risk of reoffending. This does not mean that they will necessarily commit a new crime, but that they are part of a group of people who are most likely to.

A Level 1 offender has a low risk of reoffending, and a Level 2 offender has a moderate risk of reoffending, Winkels said.