Prosecutor explains Holmberg sentencing recommendation

FARGO (KVRR) – North Dakota’s Acting U.S. Attorney is explaining why she recommended a 37-month prison sentence for former state Senator Ray Holmberg.

Holmberg pleaded guilty to traveling to Prague with the intent to engage in commercial sexual activity with boys.

As part of the plea agreement, Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl recommended that Holmberg serve just over three years in prison. But U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland departed from federal guidelines and sentenced Holmberg to 10 years in prison.

“We did not identify any victims. Had we identified victims, that sentencing recommendation would have been much higher, Puhl said. “We didn’t have identified victims, but as I argued at the hearing, we believed there were victims, but nonetheless, we have this guideline recommendation of 37 months.”

Holmberg traveled to the Czech Republic 14 times between 2011 and 2021 to pay for sex with boys. Puhl said it would have been very difficult to go through the process of having victims from other nations testify in the United States.

Puhl expects Holmberg to appeal his 10-year sentence because it’s much more severe than the recommended guidelines.

Judge Hovland said in this case, the guideline sentence isn’t adequate and called Holmberg’s behavior “egregious and despicable.”