Federal judge orders ex-North Dakota lawmaker to jail for violating release terms

FARGO, N.D. — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered a once-powerful former North Dakota lawmaker to report to jail for allegedly violating terms of his temporary release as he awaits sentencing for a child sex crime.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland said in his ruling that former state Sen. Ray Holmberg, 80, of Grand Forks, must surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service in Fargo by 1 p.m. Friday.

Holmberg was indicted in October 2023 and pleaded guilty in August to intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. He admitted in the plea agreement that he had paid young male masseuses and had sexual contact with some of them during multiple visits to the Czech Republic, though he said he did not know for certain how old they were.

Holmberg, a Republican, served more than 45 years in the North Dakota Senate before resigning in 2022 amid a federal investigation.

At the August hearing, Hovland allowed Holmberg to remain released, with restrictions, until a later sentencing hearing, citing his age and health concerns. But federal prosecutors said in court documents that Holmberg violated terms of release several times, including accessing social media sites and traveling to a Fargo home without permission.

“Since the entry of a guilty plea on August 8, 2024, Holmberg’s overall conduct does not equate with a good faith effort to fully adhere to all of the conditions of his release while awaiting sentencing,” Hovland wrote in his ruling.

Holmberg's attorney, Mark Friese, declined comment.

A sentencing date has not been set. Holmberg could face up to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.