Ray Holmberg, a former North Dakota state senator, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
The 81-year-old lawmaker, who served for 45 years in the North Dakota Senate, received a sentence that exceeded the federal guidelines, with U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland describing his crimes as “egregious and despicable.”
Holmberg’s repeated trips to Prague, where he engaged in sexual activities with underage boys, were a significant factor in the court’s decision to impose a harsher sentence.
The Crimes and Investigation
The investigation into Ray Holmberg’s activities revealed that he had traveled to Prague, Czech Republic, 14 times between 2011 and 2021. Prosecutors alleged that Holmberg sought out young boys for sexual encounters during these trips.
He admitted in court that he traveled to Prague intending to have sexual contact with minors, and while he claimed uncertainty about whether any of his encounters involved individuals under 18, evidence, including messages he sent, strongly indicated otherwise.
During the investigation, law enforcement officials found messages in which Holmberg bragged about sex with minors. In one particularly damning exchange, he shared a link to a Prague brothel with a cooperating witness, stating, “The boys rent at around $60 … (sex is extra).”
Although Holmberg later claimed these messages were just “bravado” or “locker room talk,” Judge Hovland rejected these explanations, stating that the pattern of behavior and messages pointed to a long-standing, deliberate engagement in criminal activity.
Ray Holmberg was also connected to the case of Nicholas Morgan-Derosier, a Grand Forks man sentenced to 40 years in prison for child pornography charges. Investigators uncovered that an employee of Morgan-Derosier’s landscaping business had performed a sex act on Holmberg as part of an arrangement orchestrated by Morgan-Derosier.
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This employee, who had been homeless before being taken in by Morgan-Derosier, testified that he was directed to engage in sexual activity with Holmberg in exchange for the possibility of receiving a landscaping contract.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Holmberg’s sentencing hearing was marked by emotional testimonies from victims and strong statements from the prosecution. Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl stated that Holmberg’s actions were deeply harmful and that if prosecutors had been able to identify specific victims in Prague, they would have sought an even longer sentence.
She emphasized that Ray Holmberg had used his political influence to exploit vulnerable individuals, particularly young men and boys. Two men who had encountered Holmberg in North Dakota testified about their experiences with him.
One of them stated that Holmberg had paid him to film sex acts in the 1990s, while the other, a cooperating witness, described how Holmberg had used his power to groom young men for sexual exploitation. Though these testimonies were not part of the charges Holmberg faced in court, they provided further context for his history of predatory behavior.
Defense attorney Mark Friese argued for leniency, emphasizing Holmberg’s age, health conditions, and lack of prior criminal history. He asserted that no direct evidence had been presented proving Holmberg assaulted minors, and he requested a sentence of time served in jail and home confinement.
However, Judge Hovland dismissed these arguments, citing the severity of Holmberg’s crimes and the strong evidence suggesting a pattern of abuse over many years.
In sentencing Holmberg, Judge Hovland noted that other federal sex crimes often carry harsher penalties and that a guideline sentence of three years would not be sufficient to reflect the gravity of the case. He ultimately imposed a 10-year prison term, stating, “This was not an isolated case, and this is not a victimless crime. It displays a pattern of very vile, sickening criminal behavior.”
Aftermath and Implications
Following his sentencing, Ray Holmberg was ordered to register as a sex offender and will be required to participate in a sex offender treatment program upon release.
Additionally, he is barred from contacting minors without approval from a probation officer and is prohibited from visiting locations such as playgrounds, schools, and other areas frequented by children.
Holmberg’s case has sparked significant public outrage and has further highlighted the need for stringent laws and oversight regarding individuals in positions of power. His long tenure in the North Dakota Senate, where he held influential roles such as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and head of Legislative Management, has raised concerns about how such abuse of power can go unchecked for decades.
The case also underscores the broader issue of sex trafficking and the exploitation of minors in international contexts, as Holmberg’s crimes primarily took place overseas, where legal systems may not be as equipped to track and prosecute such offenses.
Holmberg’s conviction and sentencing serve as a stark reminder that no individual, regardless of political standing or influence, is above the law. The case reinforces the importance of continued vigilance and the need for law enforcement agencies to actively investigate and prosecute crimes involving sexual exploitation, particularly those involving minors.
Judge Hovland’s decision to impose a sentence beyond the federal guidelines sends a clear message that crimes of this nature will be met with severe consequences. While Holmberg’s age and health were taken into consideration, they did not outweigh the severity of his actions or the lasting harm inflicted upon his victims.
The ruling also highlights the role of public accountability in ensuring that individuals who engage in such predatory behavior face justice, regardless of their status or position in society.
Holmberg remains in custody at a Minnesota jail while arrangements are made for his placement in a federal Bureau of Prisons medical facility. His defense team has not yet confirmed whether they plan to appeal the sentence, but legal experts suggest that an appeal is unlikely to succeed given the overwhelming evidence against him and the gravity of his crimes.
The sentencing of Ray Holmberg is a significant legal milestone in the fight against sex crimes, particularly those involving public figures who have abused their power for decades.
While his conviction provides some measure of justice for the victims, it also serves as a sobering reminder of the ongoing challenges in addressing sexual exploitation and the need for continued efforts to protect vulnerable individuals from such crimes.