A Level 3 predatory offender who left a Twin Cities halfway house while on intensive supervised probation last June 1 was arrested Wednesday morning in Chicago, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) said.

Willie A. Johnson, 68, was being held at the Cook County Jail after U.S. Marshals arrested him about 6:30 a.m.

He was released from Stillwater prison on April 16.

Johnson was convicted in Dakota County in 1990 of kidnapping and three counts of second-degree assault, and also had a 1994 Washington County conviction of fourth-degree assault. Earlier convictions include assault, criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, aiding in an offender escape, and felony possession of a weapon.

Extradition proceedings have begun to return Johnson to Minnesota where a DOC hearing will determine what violations of his supervised release conditions occurred, said Shari Burt, a DOC spokeswoman.

KEVIN GILES