State Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, was arrested in Bloomington on suspicion of soliciting a minor for sex.
Bloomington Police led Eichorn, 40, to believe he was talking to a 16-year old girl and then met the senator and arrested him Monday near the 8300 block of Normandale Avenue, according to a Bloomington Police Department press release.
Eichorn was Arrested After He Arrived at a Location Looking to Meet Up with a 16-Year-Old Girl
Police say they saw Eichorn arriving in the area by pick-up truck and arrested him without incident outside his vehicle.
Eichorn, who also serves as chair of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board, was booked into the Bloomington Police Department jail and will be transported to the Hennepin County Adult Detention Center, the release said. Felony charges of soliciting a minor to practice prostitution are pending, Bloomington police said.
"As a 40-year-old man, if you come ... looking to have sex with someone's child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up," Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said in the release. "I have always advocated stiffer penalties for these types of offenses ... We need our state Legislature to take this case and this type of conduct more seriously."
Senate Republicans Call for Eichorn's Resignation Following His Arrest
Senate Republicans have called for Eichorn's resignation. "We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation. Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family," Senate Republicans said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, in a statement, said the allegation against Eichorn is "deeply disturbing."
"The felony allegation against Sen. Eichorn is deeply disturbing, and raises serious questions that will need to be answered by the court, as well as his caucus and constituents."
Eichorn Opposed Bill Requiring Minnesota Schools to Teach About Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities
In 2021 he objected to a bill requiring Minnesota schools to teach about sexual orientations and gender identities, saying "before you know it, they'll be reading kids '50 Shades of Grey.' This discussion is better had at a more mature age."
Eichorn was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2016 and works at his family's outdoor store in Grand Rapids.He also co-authored a bill to classify "Trump Derangement Syndrome" as a mental illness.
