VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City Police Department is notifying residents about a high-risk sex offender who has recently moved to Valley City. Michael Ellis Hardaway, 51, is now residing at 868 Viking Circle, Valley City, ND 58072. Hardaway drives a 1995 Blue Dodge Ram 1500 Van. Hardaway, a white male, is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 250 pounds, and has blue eyes and brown hair. He has been assigned a high-risk assessment by the North Dakota risk level committee, Office of the Attorney General.

Hardaway was convicted of sexual imposition with a 16-year-old girl, in North Dakota District Court. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with 5 years suspended and 5 years of supervised probation.

Police emphasize that Hardaway is not currently wanted and has served his court-imposed sentence. The notification aims to ensure public safety and is not intended to incite fear or vigilantism. Residents are warned that harassment, intimidation, or threats against Hardaway, his family, landlords, or employers will result in prosecution.