Former North Dakota Lawmaker Indicted on Charges of Traveling to Prague for Sex with a Minor and Receiving Child Pornography
BISMARCK, N.D. – Ray Holmberg, a former Republican state senator in North Dakota, has been indicted on federal charges alleging that he traveled to Prague with the intent to rape a minor. The indictment also charges him with one count of receiving images depicting child sexual abuse. The indictment was filed on Thursday in federal court in North Dakota.
According to the four-page indictment, Holmberg, who is 79 years old, traveled from North Dakota to the Czech Republic between June 2011 and November 2016 with the intention of raping a person under the age of 18. Holmberg’s attorney, Mark Friese, was not immediately available for comment. Attempts to reach Holmberg via text message and voicemail were unsuccessful.
Holmberg served in the North Dakota Senate for over 45 years until his resignation last year. His resignation came after The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, a local media outlet, revealed that he had exchanged text messages with an individual who was jailed on charges related to child sexual abuse images.
As a retired school counselor, Holmberg chaired the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for writing budgets. An Associated Press review of Holmberg’s travel records found that he was reimbursed approximately $126,000 for nearly 70 out-of-state trips from 2013 to mid-April 2022. These trips included visits to four dozen U.S. cities, as well as countries such as China, Canada, Puerto Rico, and several European countries.
Holmberg now faces charges of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity and receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography. The indictment marks a significant fall from grace for a longtime lawmaker who held a position of power and influence in North Dakota politics. The case will now proceed through the federal court system, where Holmberg will have the opportunity to present his defense.
