FARGO, N.D. - Former State Senator Ray Holmberg of Grand Forks has entered a not guilty plea to two federal child porn charges: child sex tourism and receipt of child porn. The charges were filed on October 26 and unsealed on Monday, revealing that Holmberg had been indicted on federal child pornography charges. Holmberg was released and will be on electronic monitoring pending trial.

An initial trial date has been scheduled for December 5, 2023, in U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota in Fargo. Holmberg, who served as one of the nation's longest-serving state senators until his resignation last spring, now faces allegations of engaging in sexual activity with a minor during a trip to the Czech Republic. The indictment also claims that Holmberg knowingly received child pornography. The offenses are believed to have taken place between June of 2011 and November 2016.

The charges against Holmberg stem from an investigation that began two years ago when police and federal agents raided the 79-year-old's home in Grand Forks. A probe revealed that Holmberg had exchanged numerous text messages with Nicholas Morgan Derosier, who was at the time jailed on child pornography charges. Derosier pleaded guilty to seven counts of possession and distribution of child pornography in September.

Mark Friese, a criminal defense attorney with the Vogel Law Firm in Fargo, is representing Holmberg in court. On the other side, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota Jennifer Puhl is prosecuting the case for the U.S. Government.

In addition to their text message communication, further ties between Holmberg and Derosier have emerged. During an evidentiary hearing, it was revealed that Derosier's former landscaping business partner was involved in a fatal work-site accident while they were clearing snow at Holmberg's residence. After the incident, Derosier's landscaping company faced an order of injunction from the N.D. Attorney General's Division of Consumer Protection and Antitrust, preventing them from doing business. Investigators overheard Derosier attempting to arrange a meeting with the AG's officer, coinciding with a time when Holmberg needed to be in Bismarck, suggesting a connection between the two.

Ray Holmberg, a prominent figure in North Dakota politics, served as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and chaired the Legislative Management committee four times. The Republican legislator, who was first elected to his senate seat in 1976 representing Grand Forks' District 17, is now facing a legal battle against the federal child pornography charges.

As the trial looms, the outcome will have significant implications not only for Holmberg but also for North Dakota's political landscape. The case highlights the seriousness of child exploitation crimes and the need for justice to be served in such cases.