ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota state senator Justin Eichorn is facing growing pressure to resign after being arrested for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution.
The 40-year-old Republican from Grand Rapids was taken into custody Monday in Bloomington. Police say he believed he was communicating with a 16-year-old girl, but he was actually speaking with an undercover detective. After arranging to meet, Eichorn was arrested outside his vehicle without incident.
As of Tuesday afternoon, he remained in jail in Bloomington, awaiting transfer to the Hennepin County Jail in Minneapolis. Deputy Chief Kim Clauson said she did not know whether Eichorn had legal representation or if he had spoken with investigators. Jail staff declined to take messages for him.
Police confirmed that a felony charge of soliciting a minor for prostitution is pending, but the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has not yet received the case.
Attempts to reach Eichorn for comment were unsuccessful. According to his Senate profile, he is married with four children and works as an entrepreneur. He was first elected in 2016. His absence was noted during a Tuesday hearing, where his chair on the environment committee sat empty.
Fellow Senate Republicans and House Republicans called for his immediate resignation.
“We are shocked by these reports, and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation,” Senate GOP members said in a statement. “Justin has a difficult road ahead, and he needs to focus on his family.”
Senate Democrats stopped short of demanding his resignation, taking a similar stance to their handling of Democratic Senator Nicole Mitchell’s legal troubles. Mitchell was arrested last spring on a felony charge for allegedly burglarizing her estranged stepmother’s home. Democratic leaders have maintained that she deserves due process before any political consequences.
“The felony allegation against Senator Eichorn is deeply disturbing and raises serious questions that will need to be answered by the court, as well as his caucus and constituents,” said Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, echoing her previous comments regarding Mitchell’s case.
Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges issued a strong statement criticizing Eichorn’s actions.
“As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someone’s child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up,” Hodges said. “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.”