Latest news with #RayHolmberg
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Dakota Senate kills mandated reporter bill spurred by Holmberg case
A North Dakota lawmaker votes no on a bill. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor) The North Dakota Senate voted down a resolution Thursday that related to mandated reporting requirements for public officials, a proposal prompted by the sex crime conviction of former Sen. Ray Holmberg. The North Dakota Young Republicans proposed House Resolution 3037 after reading a sentencing memo filed by a federal prosecutor last month that alleged Holmberg had a pattern of exploiting boys and young men. Holmberg, a Grand Forks Republican, pleaded guilty to traveling to Prague with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with minors and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. The resolution urged the 2027 Legislature to consider making public officials mandated reporters. North Dakota law requires mandated reporters to report abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable people to local authorities or law enforcement. Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, said the resolution seemed like a 'political knee-jerk reaction' that does not accomplish anything of substance, only to ask future lawmakers to think about crafting a new law. Former ND Sen. Ray Holmberg sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex crime 'I just want to remind this body today as we consider this resolution that we are working on these things and we're doing fruitful things on these things,' said Myrdal, who highlighted other legislation that aims to protect children from exploitation. Myrdal acknowledged that people were horrified to learn about their legislative colleague's behavior. But she said many of the positions that require mandated reporting are for positions that work directly with children, which lawmakers do not generally do. Sen. Kristin Roers, R-Fargo, said she is a mandated reporter as a nurse but worries that if the requirement was expanded to include lawmakers she would need to report testimony she receives as chair of the Senate Human Services Committee that may have already been reported. 'Are we going to end up creating a system in which we are bogging down our system and pulling away people who are doing the really, really important work, those child protection workers?' Roers said. She added the Legislature may not want to insert itself into a system that is working well today. Mandated reporters are required to get updated training, said Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo. 'People need training,' Mathern said. 'It's not that simple to differentiate these cases.' The Senate killed the resolution on a majority voice vote. The resolution passed the House unanimously on April 7. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former North Dakota lawmaker convicted of sex crime not filing an appeal
Former state Sen. Ray Holmberg arrives at the Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse in Fargo for a plea hearing in North Dakota U.S. District Court on Aug. 8, 2024, (Dan Koeck/For the North Dakota Monitor) Former North Dakota state Sen. Ray Holmberg does not intend to appeal his federal sex crime conviction or 10-year prison sentence. Holmberg, a Republican who served 45 years in the state Legislature, was sentenced March 26 after he pleaded guilty to traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Prosecutors said Holmberg traveled to Prague in the Czech Republic 14 times between 2011 and 2021 to pay for sex with boys. U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland imposed a longer prison sentence than the guideline sentence of between three and four years in prison that was outlined in a plea agreement. That opened up the possibility for Holmberg to appeal. Holmberg had 14 days to file a notice of appeal. Defense attorney Mark Friese confirmed Thursday he has not been directed by Holmberg to file an appeal. Holmberg, 81, of Grand Forks, is being held in jail in Elk River, Minnesota, awaiting placement in a federal facility by the Bureau of Prisons.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hearing set Thursday on North Dakota legislative resolution prompted by Holmberg conviction
Former state Sen. Ray Holmberg, center, arrives at the Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse in Fargo for a plea hearing in North Dakota U.S. District Court on Aug. 8, 2024. (Dan Koeck/For the North Dakota Monitor) The North Dakota Young Republicans filed a resolution urging lawmakers to study child exploitation by public officials in wake of former Republican Sen. Ray Holmberg's prison sentence. A federal judge last week sentenced Holmberg to 10 years behind bars after the former senator pleaded guilty to traveling abroad with the intent to have commercial sex with minors. Holmberg was a state lawmaker for over four decades, and held the powerful position of Senate Appropriations Committee chair. House Concurrent Resolution 3037, sponsored by Rep. Nico Rios, R-Williston, asks the statehouse to look for ways to prevent future crimes against children by government officials. Brandon Prichard, chairman of the North Dakota Young Republicans, said the organization decided to propose the resolution after reading a sentencing memo filed by a federal prosecutor last month that alleged Holmberg had a pattern of exploiting boys and young men. Defense attorney Mark Friese denied many of the allegations in the memo and said there's no evidence Holmberg had sex with minors. Former ND Sen. Ray Holmberg sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex crime Prichard said the Young Republicans were appalled by what they read and thought it necessary to take action this session to set the stage for legislative reform down the line. 'We can't fix the world overnight,' said Prichard, a former Bismarck lawmaker. The resolution was passed by the House Delayed Bills Committee last week. It's scheduled for a hearing before the House Political Subdivisions Committee on Thursday at 9 a.m. Testimony can be submitted online until 8 a.m. Thursday. It calls on Legislative Management to research a host of policy changes. The proposal suggests that lawmakers explore mandatory reporting requirements for public officials, for one. It also asks that legislators study creating a body within the Attorney General's Office specifically for investigating allegations of child exploitation by public officials. The proposal recommends looking at instituting stronger penalties for public officials who 'engage in, enable or conceal' crimes against children, as well. This could include creating new mandatory minimum sentences, removal from office, loss of retirement benefits and disqualification from holding public office in the future, it states. The resolution says that the study ought to include a review of what other states have done to address these issues. The study should also examine ways to protect victims, witnesses and whistleblowers who report child exploitation, the proposed resolution states. At the end of the interim session, lawmakers would put together a report including any recommendations and legislative proposals for the 2027 legislative session. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Holmberg sexually exploited others, including people in North Dakota, witnesses say in court
The Quentin Burdick federal courthouse in Fargo, North Dakota. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) Editor's note: This story contains graphic material and discusses the sexual exploitation of minors. FARGO — Former state Sen. Ray Holmberg seeking out young men for sexual exploitation is 'not recent, nor isolated,' someone who said he'd been victimized by the North Dakota legislator told the court at a sentencing hearing Wednesday. A lawmaker for 45 years, Holmberg also worked as an educator and student counselor at Grand Forks Central High. He pleaded guilty last year to traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and prosecutors say he left the United States to seek sexual contact with minors numerous times. Witnesses said in court Wednesday that his abuses weren't relegated to trips overseas. They spoke before Holmberg was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Former ND Sen. Ray Holmberg sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex crime One person said that he met Holmberg while he was in high school in the 1990s, and Holmberg became a trusted adviser. Holmberg eventually paid him to make sexual videos of himself. 'The impact of Mr. Holmberg's actions has been life-long,' he said. Investigators found three of the videos on tapes belonging to Holmberg. The former student said he needed money to support a drug habit. 'Unless one has personally experienced drug addiction, it is difficult to convey the depth of despair' that would lead to such 'extreme acts,' he said. There were also sexual encounters with Holmberg, who was 'fully aware of my vulnerabilities,' he said. Though he's been clean and sober for more than 13 years, he said he still struggles with the trauma of those experiences. He admitted that at one point he attempted to blackmail Holmberg but said he was 'deeply misguided.' He said he was advised to go to the FBI with information about the state senator but that it took a few more years to do. His report to the FBI in 2016 did not lead to charges against Holmberg, but prosecutors pointed to it as evidence that he had a long history of sexual exploitation. Defense attorney Mark Friese urged the judge to focus on the conduct alleged in the court indictment for traveling to Prague with the intent to pay for sex with minors and denied many of the prosecution's allegations. He said Holmberg was not charged with other offenses. A former University of North Dakota graduate student who also spoke Wednesday in court became a cooperating witness in the case against Holmberg. He echoed the effect that his relationship with Holmberg had on his life, saying he experienced 'constant shame and disgust.' The student said he became involved with the longtime state senator in 2009. UND is in Grand Forks, Holmberg's district. Investigators said the graduate student and Holmberg attended UND hockey games in the university president's suite, with Holmberg making introductions to influential North Dakotans, but with the understanding that it would lead to sex. Dan Casetta, a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security, called people with access to the UND president's suite a 'who's who of North Dakota' that would at times include the governor and members of Congress. The witness accompanied Holmberg on a trip to Prague in the Czech Republic but said he did not join Holmberg at a brothel known for massages that involved sexual contact. He said he was 'terrified' about what might happen there. As a result of his relationship with Holmberg, he said he struggles to maintain relationships and has had multiple nervous breakdowns. 'I don't trust others anymore,' he said. U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland and acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl commended the two men for speaking in court. 'That was remarkable. They exhibited a lot of strength and courage to come forward,' Klemetsrud Puhl said. A group advocating for victims of sexual violence said others must have known about Holmberg's activities. 'Whether those who knew stayed silent out of fear, negligence, or for their own personal gain, we owe it to victims and survivors to bring those individuals to justice as well,' the North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition said in a statement. 'Sexual violence thrives in a culture of isolation and silence, and Ray Holmberg used power and control to keep those around him silent.' The coalition encouraged people to speak out about other cases of suspected sexual exploitation. 'If you see warning signs that someone may be abusing or exploiting others, say something,' the statement said. 'Depending upon your situation, you can report to your school, workplace, or to law enforcement. Anonymous tips can be reported to law enforcement officials through ND Tip.' For victims of sexual and domestic violence, the Central Dakota Forensic Nurse Examiners also released a statement that there are numerous organizations offering support. Contact information is on the group's website at SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
NBC News
26-03-2025
- NBC News
Ex-North Dakota lawmaker to be sentenced for traveling to Europe to pay for sex with minors
BISMARCK, N.D. — A longtime, powerful former North Dakota lawmaker, who is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday for traveling to Europe with the intent to pay for sex with minors, exploited vulnerable boys and young men for decades, a federal prosecutor said last week in court documents. The new details emerged as prosecutors outlined their reasons for the judge to impose a roughly three-year prison sentence and lifetime supervised release for former state senator Ray Holmberg, 81. He pleaded guilty last year to travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. He faces up to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervised release. The new court documents say Holmberg used his positions as a high school guidance counselor and state lawmaker to exploit vulnerable youth and young men for decades, and cite numerous messages the prosecutor said show some of his countless arrangements to pay for sex with young men while traveling, often while on state business trips. Holmberg also manipulated a Canadian teenager, who later took his own life, into sending him sexually explicit images, and used an alias to email certain colleagues and friends about 'his sexual interest in adolescent-age boys, among other things,' acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl wrote. Holmberg has not been charged with any new crimes. He has been jailed in Minnesota since about early November awaiting sentencing. His attorney, Mark Friese, asked in a separate filing for a lighter sentence of time served plus an unspecified period of home detention, citing Holmberg's age and multiple physical ailments. Friese wrote that Holmberg had already spent nearly a year under house arrest and would have served 145 days in custody as of Wednesday's sentencing. The case mainly focuses on Holmberg traveling to Prague at least 14 times from 2011 to 2021 where he visited an alleged brothel for commercial sex with adolescent, often homeless boys, prosecutors said. In a plea agreement last year, Holmberg acknowledged that he had 'repeatedly traveled from Grand Forks, North Dakota, to Prague, Czech Republic with a motivating purpose of engaging in commercial sex with adolescent-age individuals under the age of 18 years.' In his court filing asking for a lighter sentence, Holmberg's attorney wrote that while his client admits he violated federal law when he traveled to Prague with the intent to have commercial sex with a minor, the government failed to confirm any instance of him actually having sex for money with anyone under age 18. Records previously obtained by The Associated Press show that Holmberg made dozens of trips throughout the U.S. and to other countries since 1999. Destinations included cities in more than 30 states as well as Canada, Puerto Rico and Norway. At least one of Holmberg's trips to Prague was state-funded through a teacher exchange program, the prosecutor wrote. 'Holmberg's offending conduct over the course of decades ... can only be described as corruption,' Klemetsrud Puhl wrote. 'That is, he used his position to serve his own ends.' In one example the prosecutor described, Holmberg brought a University of North Dakota student to the university president's suite for hockey games, representing 'a right to access some of the most influential people in the state' — including the UND president, governor and congressmembers — with the expectation of him engaging in sexual activity with Holmberg, she wrote. In 2012 and 2013, Holmberg posed as a teenage boy in an online chatroom for teens who had undergone circumcision, and misled and manipulated a 16-year-old Canadian boy into sending him explicit photos, the new filing said. The full story of the relationship is unclear because the boy later took his own life in 2021, 'but no doubt Holmberg's conduct contributed to his struggles,' Klemetsrud Puhl said. Former U.S. Attorney Tim Purdon said the acts described in the prosecutor's filing paints a picture for the judge of Holmberg's overall character. 'What we see here is a defendant who has a decades-long track record of identifying extremely vulnerable young men, grooming them and eventually using them for sex,' Purdon said. He said the filing raises the question of who in Holmberg's circle were aware of his behavior and 'approved of it or countenanced it by their silence.' Investigators know who those people are, Purdon said. Holmberg served in the North Dakota Senate from 1976 to 2022. He resigned in the wake of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reporting on a number of text messages he exchanged with a man in jail in connection with child sexual abuse material. Holmberg chaired the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee for many years. He also had stints leading a panel that handles the Legislature's interim business between biennial sessions, a position that let him approve his own travel.
