Fmr. Minnesota state senator Justin Eichorn pleads not guilty to enticement of a minor
A former Minnesota state senator accused of attempting to pay a teenager for sex pleaded not guilty on Monday in his federal arraignment hearing in St. Paul.
Justin Eichorn, a Republican who represented District 6 before resigning in March, faces a federal charge of attempted coercion or enticement of a minor.
Prosecutors allege he responded to an online prostitution ad that was part of a sex trafficking sting by Bloomington police and other law enforcement.
Eichorn is currently at a halfway house in Duluth. A special election to fill Eichorn's vacated seat will take place April 29. Republican Keri Heintzeman and Democrat Denise Slipy are running in the GOP-leaning district.
Eichorn's team withdraws motion to change pretrial conditions
In Monday's hearing, Eichorn's attorneys withdrew a motion filed on Friday asking the judge to change his release conditions, which bar him from associating with anyone under 18 "except in the presence of a responsible adult who is aware of the nature of the background" of the allegations against him.
In that withdrawn motion, his team said Eichorn "wishes to continue his relationship with his children," and without a modification to his release conditions, he will be "cut off" from them.
"Mr. Eichorn has been served a petition for divorce which will involve custody questions regarding the couple's four minor children," the attorneys wrote. "Mr. Eichorn respectfully requests he have contact with his children both by telephone and in person so he may legitimately maintain his relationship with his children during this difficult time. This will allow the state court to address visitation of the children during any dissolution proceedings."
Eichorn's next hearing is scheduled for May 21.