LAMOURE, N.D. — A 73-year-old man who agreed earlier this month to finally admit that he had molested a child back in the 1980s and then another child in more recent years has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Ernest "Monte" Ballinger, who previously lived in a farmhouse near the southeast North Dakota town of Verona in LaMoure County and most recently had been living in Lisbon in Ransom County, pleaded guilty to six felony counts in the two counties.
"No amount of time is enough," said LaMoure County State's Attorney James Shockman, who said Ballinger would be in his late 80s at the end of the prison term. "It's basically a life term."
Shockman said the victim in LaMoure County, who was molested starting under the age of 9 in the farmhouse, is currently in her 40s and waited "more than 30 years for justice."
"She finally got him to admit what he did. For her, it's a little bit of justice, and it took a big weight off the victim's shoulders," Shockman said.
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The state's attorney said they were able to get around the statute of limitations on that case because it was never reported to law enforcement.
Ballinger was found guilty of two counts of gross sexual imposition in that case and will also be under lifetime supervised probation if he ever is released from prison.
In neighboring Ransom County, the victim was also under 9 years of age when the abuse occurred over a two-year period from 2018 to 2019. Ballinger pleaded guilty to four felony counts of gross sexual imposition in that case.
The two cases were combined into one hearing in LaMoure County, and Ballinger was sentenced on Nov. 12.
Shockman said the victims could also receive restitution in the case as there was a $50,000 bond posted by Ballinger. A hearing on that will be held at an upcoming date.
In August, the Ransom County Sheriff’s Office said an initial investigation found Ballinger could be connected to sexual assaults of minors dating back decades.
Shockman said there were statute of limitations issues as well as the need for more evidence in other reports and that no other charges were pending.
"To the extent there are other victims and to the victims in these cases, I hope they find at least some solace or comfort in knowing the defendant was finally held accountable for his heinous actions and that he will likely spend the remainder of his life in prison," Shockman added.
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Ballinger is in the Stutsman County Correctional Center in Jamestown awaiting a transfer to the state prison.
