The defendant admits to crimes involving a minor News, Sports, Work

A Minot woman has pleaded guilty to charges related to sexually explicit communication with a minor.

Amber Halena Booth, 50, Minot, entered the guilty plea Friday in North Central District Court before Judge Douglas Mattson as part of an open plea agreement with the Ward County State’s Attorney’s Office. The jury trial schedule for next week was canceled due to the change of plea.

Booth pleaded guilty to one count of sexually exploiting a minor, a Class A felony, and one count of possession of certain prohibited materials, a Class C felony. Two additional counts of facilitating sexual intercourse with a minor, a class B felony, and luring a minor by means of a computer, a class C felony, were dismissed in accordance with the plea agreement.

Booth was charged in January 2024 after law enforcement investigated a report by the parents of a minor victim of explicit sexual contact between her and the victim.

Ward County Prosecutor Rosa Larson said a forensic examination recovered a juvenile text message from Booth requesting photos of his genitalia. Larson said that after receiving the images, Booth said she was joking, but investigators later discovered the images were still on Booth’s phone. The victim told investigators Booth told him to delete the message.

Larson recommended a sentence of 10 years in prison with the Department of Corrections, with five years suspended on the first count, followed by supervised probation. The recommendation also required Booth to register as a sex offender, have no contact with the victim and pay $1,025 in court costs and fees. Larson recommended a five-year sentence on the second count.

Because the plea was entered on an open basis, Mattson is not required to follow the sentencing guidelines. Class A felonies in North Dakota carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Mattson ordered a presentence investigation, and Larson asked that it include a psychosexual evaluation in addition to the sex offender evaluation required to plead guilty to a Class A felony.

Booth was allowed to remain out of custody on a $20,000 bond so she can continue treatment, but Mattson added restrictions barring her from leaving Ward County. Butu’s sentencing is scheduled for May 12.