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Fort Hall Sex Offender Pleads Guilty

POCATELLO – A 46-year-old Fort Hall man has pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. today.

Montey Curtis Moon was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pocatello on February 10, 2021, and pleaded guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender on July 19, 2021. Sentencing is set for October 12, 2021, before U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.

According to court records, Moon was convicted of Rape in Bannock County, Idaho in 1996 and was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Despite receiving multiple warnings in 2018, Moon failed to register while living on the Fort Hall Reservation from August 21, 2020, until October 8, 2020.

Moon was interviewed and admitted that he knew he had to register and failed to do so. The charge of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and at least five years and up to life of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez credited the cooperative efforts of the Fort Hall Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service, which led to the charges.

Moon’s prosecution highlights the importance of registering as a sex offender under SORNA, a law passed by Congress in 2006 that 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.

The case is a reminder of the serious consequences of failing to register as a sex offender. Moon’s case will be closely watched as it moves forward in court.

Stay tuned to Grimy Times for updates on this developing story.