A Minot truckdriver, who knew his 13-year-old granddaughter was going through a traumatic time, took her on what was to be a healing summer road trip with him in July 2004.

That grandfather, Russell M. "Mark" Rasmusson, 53, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison Thursday at a U.S. District Court hearing.

Rasmusson, who pleaded guilty in December to felony transportation for illegal sexual activity, reportedly molested his granddaughter about every day during the 20-day road trip until she managed to get away.

It was basically an "over-the-road sex tour," Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare Hochhalter said after the hearing.

The granddaughter told U.S. District Judge Dan Hovland that since the trip she is cutting on herself, has low self-esteem and "nightmares that are unbearable."

"I feel I have nothing great to live for," she said, struggling emotionally and crying at times.

Hovland told her it took courage for her to be in court and testify, and to remember she was not the wrongdoer, was not to blame. Hovland urged her to continue counseling, complete her education and put all this behind her.

"Don't let this put you on a downward track," he said.

Hovland told Rasmusson, a first-time offender, that 41 months - which was the maximum amount in the federal guidelines for the charge - was "more than reasonable in light of the devastation you have caused."

When asked if he had anything to say, Rasmusson said, "I'm sorry. That's all I can say."

The victim's mother told the Tribune after the hearing that it was July 5, 2004, when Rasmusson picked her daughter up for the trip in Bismarck.

That first night of the road trip, the grandfather started molesting her.

The next day, she told him she wasn't feeling well and wanted to go home, but he refused to do that.

She said the incidents of molestation occurred about every night. Most nights they stayed in the truck's cab. But there were a couple of nights when they stayed in hotels and her grandfather would request one bed.

The victim said her grandfather spent a lot of time gambling in casinos. They'd also go shopping.

"He gave me lots of money," she said.

She said he also tried to get her to play strip poker, but she wouldn't. Rasmusson also gave her alcohol and marijuana, Hochhalter said.

The charge was handled in federal court because the molestation occurred in several states including North Dakota, Montana, Texas, Idaho, Pennsylvania, California and Louisiana.

Rasmusson never let her use his phone unless he was present. But in Erie, Pa., on July 25, while he was in a casino gambling, she asked to call a girlfriend and he tossed the phone at her and then continued to gamble. She then ran outside, hiding in some bushes to make a call to her mother to tell her what was happening.

Hochhalter said what amazed him about the victim is how she kept her wits about her, and how she and her mother created a ruse to get Rasmusson to allow her to come home.

In a phone conversation, the victim's mother told Rasmusson that the daughter's grandmother was in intensive care and she needed to come home.

Rasmusson agreed to take his granddaughter to the airport, and within a couple of hours she was boarding a plane to Bismarck.

The victim told the Tribune that the last thing Rasmusson said to her was, "What happened in the truck, stays in the truck."

Hochhalter said that after returning to Bismarck, the girl reported the crimes to Bismarck police. Hochhalter said he was "really impressed with the Bismarck police," who set up a phone call between the girl and the grandfather.

During the call, monitored by investigators, she told Rasmusson she was baby-sitting and then went on to convincingly tell him how upset she was over what had happened. Rasmusson, through things he said, essentially confessed, Hochhalter said.

Rasmusson is to serve 41 months and then will be on supervised probation for three years.

He was ordered to undergo counseling and sexual offender treatment and pay $1,300.80 in restitution. But that restitution amount will ultimately be more because Rasmusson will be required to pay for his own counseling costs, Hovland said.

The victim told the judge if Rasmusson hadn't touched her, he would still have a granddaughter and daughter.

"He's not my grandfather," she told the Tribune.

(Reach reporter Virginia Grantier at 250-8254 or at vgrantier@ndonline.com.)