Eichorn resigns Minnesota Senate seat amid soliciting a minor charge
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Justin Eichorn resigned his Minnesota Senate seat Thursday ahead of a possible expulsion vote related to an arrest and federal charge over attempted solicitation of a minor.
Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, faces a federal charge of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He has not yet commented since an arrest Monday as part of a prostitution sting in Bloomington.
Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, announced Thursday that Eichorn submitted his resignation effective immediately. Republicans and Democrats in the chamber stood ready to expel Eichorn if he’d opted to remain a member.
“This charge, the charge that he's been accused of, is so severe, and the transcript, based on the reports, are very damning. And so even though that has not been done, expulsion has not been done on the floor before, we felt that the charges warranted that,” Johnson said. “Today, we are just praying for the family, the victims of this, this situation here. It's really a sad, sad thing.”
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Read in the Senate chamber Thursday morning, Eichorn’s letter to Gov. Tim Walz said only that he was resigning immediately and that “I must focus on personal matters at this time. It has been an honor to serve in the Minnesota Senate.”
Walz on Wednesday said Eichorn should step down following the arrest.
The resignation triggers a special election to fill his northern Minnesota seat. Republicans would be favored, but an election wouldn’t come until late in the session at the earliest. Democrats have a temporary 34-32 edge.
‘We were ready to act’
Charging documents allege Eichorn texted with an undercover detective he thought was a 17-year-old girl and wasn't dissuaded when the matter of age came up. Eichorn is being held without bail pending the initial hearing in federal court.
Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said she was grateful Eichorn opted to resign. At least in its recent history, there’s no record of the Minnesota Senate expelling a member.
“An expulsion vote would have demonstrated, I think, our shared commitment across this chamber that the predatory behavior of Mr. Eichorn was incompatible with the service in this body,” Murphy said. “Republicans and Democrats came together to recognize the threat of that predatory behavior, and we were ready to act.”
Johnson and Murphy said they remain hopeful that they’ll be able to pass a two-year state budget — their main responsibility this session — even with a temporary vacancy.
Federal charging documents allege that Eichorn made contact with a phone number listed on an online prostitution ad about a week before he was arrested on Monday. Undercover law enforcement detectives created the ad and posed as a 17-year-old girl as part of the joint law enforcement operation targeting attempted sexual exploitation of minors.
Over several days, Eichorn texted the number and asked about services that the 17 year old offered, as well as prices. He also asked for explicit photos.
The federal complaint alleges that the detective responding to Eichorn’s texts informed him that she was 17 years old.
“I am 17 … like I said don’t want any drama but wanna be upfront cause one guy got hella mad at me,” the text from an undercover detective said.
Eichorn allegedly replied: “Why was he so mad? I think age of consent is 17 when do ya turn 18?”
Eichorn made additional contact and set up a meeting for Monday, the charging document alleges. He allegedly had $129 in cash, a condom and two cell phones with him when he was arrested. The charging document said he was seen “manipulating his phone” as he returned to his truck when officers moved in to arrest Eichorn.
If convicted, Eichorn faces a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence on the federal charge. The state initially filed a charge, too, but dismissed it, ceding to federal authorities.
Eichorn remained jailed in Hennepin County as of Thursday morning. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
Attempts to reach Eichorn or an attorney for him have been unsuccessful.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office on Wednesday said it has filed charges against six other people for similar crimes, as a result of the same undercover operation in Bloomington.
Eichorn appears in court
Eichorn came to a federal courtroom in St. Paul Thursday afternoon wearing jeans and a black shirt. He responded “yes” when Magistrate Judge Shannon Elkins asked if he understood the charges.
Eichorn will remain in custody until a bed is available at a halfway house. There, he will be kept under GPS surveillance and restricted from using the internet. He will surrender his passport and travel documents. He’ll be unable to be around people under the age of 18 without supervision and an adult who understands his charges.
He was represented by a public defender but plans to seek private counsel. Another court date is set for March 26.