The man who spent nearly half a century in the North Dakota Senate will spend much of the rest of his year behind bars after pleading guilty to sex crimes. Probably involved minors.
On Wednesday, US District Judge Daniel Hofland went beyond the recommended three-year sentence and sentenced Sen. Bar Ray Holmberg (R. Grand Fork) to the back of the bar 10 years later. Back in August, Holmberg pleaded guilty 1 count Travel with the intention of engaging in illegal sexual activities.
“I had sexual contact with a minor in the Czech Republic.”
The crime sounds bad enough, but the details of what Holmberg revealed are nothing but horrifying. According to federal prosecutors, Holmberg traveled to Prague, the Czech Republic at least 14 times between 2011 and 2021, stayed in a brothel and paid the young boy for sex.
Prosecutor explained These boys are “very vulnerable” and “the runaway of the homeless, who often lived in poverty.” Unfortunately, law enforcement could never place any of Holmberg's victims there, but “but this is not a casualty-free crime,” prosecutors argued.
“There is no doubt that their exploitation in Holmberg had devastating consequences for them.
Holmberg, now 81, admitted to receiving massages from young men, that some of these massages were related to sexual contact, and even admitting that some of the younger men were under the age of 18.
Judge Hofland wasn't sure. “There was sexual contact with minors in the Czech Republic,” he claimed. He similarly characterized Holmberg's actions as “terribly mean.”
“From my perspective, this is not an isolated incident, it is not a casualty crime,” the judge continued. “It shows a very despicable and offensive pattern of criminal behavior.”
During the trial of the sentence, defense attorney Mark Frise argued that none of the victims in the case were proven to be minors and that his client had no criminal history. Frise pushed without spending time in prison, citing Holmberg's age and health.
“What happens in Prague – stay in Prague.”
Holmberg previously admitted that he traveled abroad for these sexual encounters to protect his political career. He also wrote a terrible message, boasting of having sex with a young 12-year-old boy, prosecutors said.
- “The boys rent for about $60… (sex is extra),” Holmberg sent along with a link to a Prague brothel.
- “What happens in Prague – Stay in Prague.”
- “No one will do that [sic] Young…Remember Prague. ”
Holmberg dismissed these messages as merely “Bravado” and “Locker Room Talk.”
Sexual grooming of Holmberg's young men may have even had fatal consequences. Sometime in 2012 or 2013, Holmberg met a 16-year-old Canadian boy in an online chat room, where he was able to convince a young man to send him an explicit photo of himself.
Less than a decade later, the young Canadians took their own life. “Undoubtedly, Holmberg's actions contributed to his struggle,” said prosecutor Jennifer Kremettld Poole.
In exchange for his guilty plea, the prosecutor agreed to withdraw the charges. Holmberg It is related to child pornography.
Under federal law, Holmberg must register as a sex offender. He is also prohibited from contact with minors with permission from his probation officer. He will have further restrictions once he overcome his 10-year sentence and is released back into the community.
Frise said he will discuss with Holmberg whether he will sue him for the sentence. Frise declined to request further comment from the AP.
First elected in 1976, Holmberg became one of North Dakota's most powerful lawmakers. He even chaired the Senate Budget Committee for a while. He resigned in 2022 and was charged in 2023.
Holmberg was reportedly married once and has two children.
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