Introduction to the Case
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.
Background of the Defendant
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.
Exploitation of Vulnerable Youth
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.
Manipulation and Coercion
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.
Current Status and Sentence Request
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.
Travel History and Plea Agreement
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.”
Defense and Prosecution Arguments
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.
Conclusion of the Case
“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.” 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.
Conclusion
The case of Ray Holmberg is a disturbing example of how power and position can be exploited to harm vulnerable individuals. The sentencing of Holmberg will bring closure to the victims and their families, and serve as a reminder that those who abuse their power will be held accountable.
FAQs
- Q: What is the main charge against Ray Holmberg?
A: Traveling to Europe with the intent to pay for sex with minors. - Q: What is the recommended sentence for Holmberg?
A: A roughly three-year prison sentence and lifetime supervised release. - Q: What positions did Holmberg hold that he used to exploit vulnerable youth and young men?
A: High school guidance counselor and state lawmaker. - Q: How many times did Holmberg travel to Prague for commercial sex with adolescent boys?
A: At least 14 times from 2011 to 2021. - Q: What is the defense’s argument for a lighter sentence?
A: Holmberg’s age and multiple physical ailments, and that he has already spent nearly a year under house arrest.
