REPORT: North Dakota Mayor Resigns After Nude Video Incident Involving Colleague

The mayor of Minot, North Dakota, reportedly resigned from his position over two months after facing a complaint over mistakenly sharing explicit content with an employee.

Mayor Tom Ross accidentally sent an explicit nude video of himself to City Attorney Stefanie Stalheim on Jan. 14, Minot Daily News reported, citing a city investigation report released Tuesday. The report found that the two concluded a phone call about a police officer who had committed suicide while under investigation shortly before the video was sent, according to KVRR. Ross insisted he sent the video in error and had intended to send it to his girlfriend, authorities said.

The mayor handed over his resignation letter prior to a Minot City Council special meeting scheduled to discuss the findings of the investigation, according to Minot Daily News.

Ross asked Stalheim to delete the text shortly after he sent it and told her it was an accident, according to the report. The investigation found that the thumbnail of the video contained graphic content and was visible to Stalheim when she attempted to delete it.

Stalheim filed a formal complaint Jan. 28, requesting an official apology from Ross and suggesting that he resign.

The city investigator found that due “to Ross’s position as one of increased visibility, responsibility, and trust, and due to his decision to use a personal cell phone to conduct city business, that the fact that he would use that device to record and send videos of this nature is in and of itself reckless enough that he knew the risk he was taking by engaging in such behavior,” according to KVRR. (RELATED: Police Release Footage Of New Jersey Mayor’s Arrest For Alleged DUI After Locals Call For Her To Resign)

The investigation into the matter decided that the incident fell under the city’s standard for workplace harassment, whether or not it was accidental, according to Minot Daily News.

Ross won election as the city’s mayor in 2022 and had served on the city council since 2020, according to the city’s staff directory.