Former North Dakota State Senator Charged with Child Sex Tourism, Receipt of Child Pornography

Holmberg, one of the longest-serving state senators in the US, allegedly made repeated trips from North Dakota to Prague between June 2011 and November 2016 with the intent of engaging in sex acts with a minor and received material involving a minor in explicit conduct from November 2012 to March 2013. The ex-senator pleaded not guilty, with his lawyer highlighting that the alleged conduct occurred over a decade ago; if convicted, he faces up to 50 years in prison.

Former North Dakota Republican state senator, Ray Holmberg, is facing federal charges for allegedly traveling to Prague with the intent of engaging in commercial sex acts with a minor between June 2011 and November 2016.
Holmberg is also charged with receiving material depicting a minor in sexually explicit conduct from November 2012 to March 2013. He served in the North Dakota Senate for over 45 years until his resignation in 2022, following allegations of exchanging text messages with a man jailed for possessing child pornography.
Holmberg was reimbursed about $126,000 for nearly 70 out-of-state trips between 2013 through mid-April 2022. His travels included visits to various U.S. cities, China, Canada, Puerto Rico, and several European countries, including the Czech Republic.
In November 2021, law enforcement conducted a search operation at Holmberg's residence in Grand Forks, during which they seized video discs and other items.
The trial is scheduled to commence on December 5, 2023. If proven guilty, Holmberg could face a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. However, Holmberg's attorney, Mark Friese, maintains that the alleged conduct is more than a decade old.

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