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A former North Dakota lawmaker was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to the Associated Press, former Republican state senator Ray Holmberg traveled to Europe with the intent to pay for sex with a minor.
“Holmberg pleaded guilty last year in U.S. District Court in Fargo, North Dakota, to one count of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity,” the Associated Press stated.
FARGO — Former state Sen. Ray Holmberg has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for traveling abroad to sexually abuse children, a sentence more than three times longer https://t.co/ixum64TrBU
— The Bismarck Tribune (@bistrib) March 26, 2025
From the Associated Press:
KFGO reported that during Wednesday’s hearing, the defense and prosecution agreed that Holmberg should serve about three years because of his age and poor health, but federal Judge Daniel Hovland said Holmberg is still a threat to underage boys. Hovland called Holmberg’s character “egregious and despicable” and said that a 37-month sentence wouldn’t deter others.
While Holmberg denied actually having sex with anyone under 18, Hovland said he can “read between the lines,” the radio station reported.
Prosecutors said Holmberg traveled at least 14 times from 2011 to 2021 to Prague, Czech Republic, to pay for sex with adolescent-age boys. In court last year, Holmberg admitted to paying young male masseuses, some of whom he had sexual contact with at an alleged brothel. But he claimed not to know for certain how old they were.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl said the crime was “an assault of the dignity of many young boys.” And the majority and minority leaders in the North Dakota Legislature described Holmberg’s crimes as “evil” in a statement that vowed additional resources to law enforcement to help combat increases in criminal sexual assaults and human trafficking, KFGO reported.
Holmberg served 45 years in the North Dakota Senate. He resigned in 2022 after The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported on his many text messages with a man in jail in connection with child sexual abuse material. Holmberg chaired two powerful legislative panels, including the Senate’s budget-writing committee.
Prosecutors said Ray Holmberg traveled at least 14 times from 2011 to 2021 to Prague, Czech Republic, to pay for sex with adolescent-age boys. https://t.co/X5XrGWWxwB
— Courthouse News (@CourthouseNews) March 27, 2025
Judge Daniel Hovland sentenced the 81-year-old Grand Forks Republican to more than three times what the prosecution sought for traveling to Prague to sexually abuse boys. https://t.co/pW8rcyXfND
— InForum (@inforum) March 26, 2025
Per North Dakota Monitor:
North Dakota’s acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl said if prosecutors had been able to identify victims in Prague, they would have requested a longer sentence.
“These boys experienced harm,” Klemetsrud Puhl said.
She also described what she characterized as Holmberg’s history of leveraging his power to exploit boys and young men.
Though not part of the charges against Holmberg, two men who said they met him in North Dakota and were victimized by him gave emotional testimony at the hearing. One said Holmberg gave him money to film sex acts in the 1990s. The other man who spoke at the hearing was a cooperating witness who said Holmberg used his political power to groom them for sex.
Defense attorney Mark Friese argued prosecutors had not presented evidence that underage boys were involved or that Holmberg ever assaulted a minor. He also emphasized that Holmberg had no criminal history and was not charged with other crimes.
Friese advocated for no prison time, arguing a sentence of time already served in jail and home confinement were more appropriate given Holmberg’s health and age.
Holmberg said in court that he traveled to Prague with the intent of having sexual contact with minors, that he liked massages and some involved sexual contact. He said he might have received a sexual massage from someone under 18, but he’s not sure.
Hovland asked Holmberg several questions about messages Holmberg sent bragging about sex with minors. In one message, Holmberg sent a cooperating witness a link to a brothel in Prague with the comment, “The boys rent at around $60 … (sex is extra).”
Holmberg claimed that was “bravado” or “locker room talk” but that the statements were not true.
Hovland expressed skepticism and said he can draw inferences from the repeat trips to Prague and the messages.
