COEUR D'ALENE – Michael Dean Vallee, Jr., 27, of Lapwai, Idaho, was sentenced yesterday to 13 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Vallee appeared before U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Coeur d'Alene. He pleaded guilty to the charge on September 8, 2011.

According to court documents, Vallee was convicted of sexually abusing a minor in 2004. After serving a 30 month prison term, Vallee was released and registered as a sex offender, as required by federal law. According to the plea agreement, Vallee admitted that in April 2010, he failed to update his sex offender registration and remained non-compliant until his arrest in April 2011.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Vallee was prosecuted for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which was passed by Congress in 2006. The Act requires sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction where they reside. Violations of SORNA can be prosecuted in federal court.