A federal judge has rescheduled the trial for former Republican state senator Ray Holmberg, who is accused of traveling to Prague with the intent of paying for sex with a minor. The trial, originally set for December 5, has been postponed to April 29, 2024, in Fargo, North Dakota. Holmberg’s defense attorney requested the delay to review documents and prepare his client’s defense, a motion to which federal prosecutors did not object.
Ray Holmberg, 79, of Grand Forks, was indicted last month on charges of traveling to Europe with the intent of paying for sex with a minor and receiving images depicting child sexual abuse. He has pleaded not guilty and was released with conditions. The trial is expected to last five days.
The postponement was expected, according to defense attorney Mark Friese, as it is common for defendants to have time to review the evidence against them. Holmberg’s trial comes after a two-year investigation, and he resigned from his position as a North Dakota senator last year following the release of text messages he exchanged with a man in jail on charges related to child sexual abuse images.
During his more than 45 years of service in the North Dakota Senate, Holmberg held influential positions, including chairing the Senate Appropriations Committee and a top legislative panel. He was known as one of the Legislature’s more powerful lawmakers.
The former senator had made numerous state-funded trips throughout the United States and the world in the last decade, including at least three trips to Prague and other European cities arranged through the Global Bridges teacher exchange program. It remains unclear whether the alleged conduct occurred during these trips.
Ray Holmberg, who worked as a school counselor and child find coordinator for Grand Forks Public Schools from 1967 to 2002, is facing serious charges that will be thoroughly examined in his upcoming trial.
