BISMARCK, N.D. – A former North Dakota lawmaker who was one of the most powerful members of the legislature has signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors to settle charges that he traveled to Europe with the intent to pay for sex with a minor.

Former Republican Sen. Ray Holmberg, 80, of Grand Forks, signed the agreement last week, which was filed Monday, in which he agreed to plead guilty to traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

The maximum penalties are 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime probation, the document says. His attorney did not immediately respond to a text message or email seeking comment.

Prosecutors will recommend the lowest possible sentence and seek dismissal of Holmberg's other charge of receiving and attempting to receive child sexual abuse material, according to the agreement. He would have to register as a sex offender under the agreement.

Prosecutors alleged that Holmberg repeatedly traveled to Prague, Czech Republic, from approximately June 2011 to November 2016 to pay for sex with minors. Charges against Holmberg were filed in October 2023.

Holmberg served in the legislature from 1976 to mid-2022. He initially announced he would not run for re-election, but resigned after the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported that he had exchanged dozens of text messages with a man in prison in which he sent child sexual abuse material.

His trial was scheduled to begin in September in Fargo. He initially pleaded not guilty. A sentencing hearing does not appear to have been scheduled yet.

For many years, Holmberg chaired the Senate's influential Budget Committee, which drafts budgets. He also chaired the Legislative Management Panel, which runs the legislature's business between its biennial sessions. In that position, he was allowed to authorize his own travel.

Records obtained by the Associated Press show that Holmberg has made dozens of trips across the United States and abroad since 1999. Destinations have included cities in more than 30 states, as well as Canada, Puerto Rico and Norway.

Earlier this year, the North Dakota School Boards Association repaid the state about $142,000 and ended its involvement in the Global Bridges teacher exchange program, just months after releasing travel records following Holmberg's indictment that showed he used state funds to travel to Prague and other European cities in 2011, 2018 and 2019. It is unclear whether the misconduct authorities allege occurred during any of those trips.