Formal charges were filed Wednesday against Republican state Sen. Justin Eichorn (R- Grand Rapids) by Hennepin County and he's now facing federal charges from Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
Eichorn was arrested in Bloomington Monday on suspicion of soliciting an underage girl for sex.
Bloomington police allege Eichorn arranged online to meet for sex with a detective posing as an underage girl who was posing as a 17-year old. Eichorn was arrested near the meetup spot without incident.
Hennepin County prosecutors charged Eichorn with one count of prostitution for allegedly agreeing to hire someone under 18 but older than 16 for sex. Eichorn currently has a hearing scheduled for Thursday in Hennepin County.
Adding to the charges against Eichorn is now a federal criminal complaint. Eichorn was charged by complaint Wednesday in U.S. District Court with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office has no tolerance for public officials who violate federal law—particularly those laws meant to protect children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “I am grateful to the Bloomington Police Department, to the FBI, and to all law enforcement officers who use undercover operations to identify and arrest child sex predators to prevent them from abusing real children.”
According to the criminal complaint, on March 12, 2025, Bloomington Police detectives began an undercover operation to target commercial sex involving juveniles. Law enforcement placed online advertisements offering commercial sex. Unbeknownst to the prospective sex buyers, it was in fact undercover law enforcement officers who received and responded to the messages.
According to the federal complaint:
On March 11, 2025, undercover officers began receiving messages from Eichorn, age 40, inquiring, “I saw your post and [sic] chance you are still available tonight?” and then later, “What’s a guy gota do to get with the hottest girl online tonight.” Over the course of messaging over several days, the undercover officer repeatedly said that she was not 18 but was, in fact, 17 years old. Even so, Eichorn proceeded to ask the undercover officer about pricing for various sex acts she might perform, and then Eichorn arranged an in-person meet-up to pay for commercial sex. Eichorn also requested that the undercover officer—whom he believed to be a 17-year-old minor—send him “a naught[y] pic” including one “with lot less clothes.” Eichorn arrived at the agreed-upon location to find law enforcement waiting to apprehend him. In his car, among other things, law enforcement found cash and a condom.
“The actions alleged in this case are an appalling attempt to exploit an innocent and vulnerable minor," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI and our partners are committed to protecting children from predators who seek to harm them. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe environment, free from the threat of exploitation.”
Republicans call for Eichorn to resign immediately
What appears to be moving just as quickly is Eichorn's time in the Minnesota Senate. Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Alex Plechash told Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News he's personally very troubled by the case.
"It deeply hurt me," says Plechash. "I, you know, it's one of those things that's actually beyond my comprehension of the ability to wrap my head around this. I feel very badly for his family, his wife and his children, and I think that comes first. That's the first thing that came to my mind. But, you know, we have to deal with it now and I can say it's a very sad day for us."
Plechash says he and all state Republican leaders are calling for Eichorn to resign. If he refuses, Plechash says Eichorn faces immediate expulsion.
"Republicans hold their own to a higher standard. So if Eichorn refuses to resign, we support his immediate expulsion from the Senate," says Plechash.
Eichorn recently made national news recently when he and four other senators proposed a bill that would add “Trump derangement syndrome” to the state’s definition of mental illness.