Police reveal details of minor sex sting resulting in charges for Sen. Eichorn, 8 others
New details released on sex sting operation
Bloomington police chief Booker Hodges released additional details on the sex sting operation that resulted in the arrest of at least 14 men, including former Minnesota Sen. Justin Eichorn. FOX 9’s Bill Keller has more on the story.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Bloomington Police Department released additional details about operation "I Can’t Help Myself", which resulted in the arrest of 14 men and charges against former Minnesota Sen. Justin Eichorn and at least eight others.
Operation ‘I Can’t Help Myself’
The backstory:
During a news conference on Monday, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges provided details of the men arrested in a minor prostitution sting named "I Can’t Help Myself."
The undercover prostitution sting in Bloomington targeted those allegedly soliciting minors for sex. Hodges explained many of the men believed they were meeting up with a 17-year-old girl when they were taken into custody.
The operation resulted in the arrest and charges against at least nine men, including former Minnesota Sen. Eichorn, who is facing federal charges. It's unclear whether all 14 men Hodges mentioned have been formally charged.
"We're still working with our federal partners on some of these cases, because, quite frankly, just locally, we cannot have these people getting out of jail," said Hodges.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Eden Prairie Police Department, Richfield Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Airport Police Department assisted the Bloomington Police Department with this operation.
Latest on Sen. Eichorn's case
Ex-Sen. Eichorn arrest: Prosecutors seek new hearing
After former Minnesota Sen. Justin Eichorn allegedly tried to have an associate retrieve his laptop from an apartment in St. Paul, prosecutors are now seeking a new detention hearing to keep him in jail until his trial.
Dig deeper:
During the press conference, Chief Hodges said Eichorn was chatting with a 17-year-old girl and requested to have sex in his truck. "Because he asked that, and he came here trying to have sex with a child… we're forfeiting his vehicle administratively because he wanted to come here and commit a felony," Hodges said.
Hodges added that this was the only time Eichorn had been caught in Bloomington, but the language he used with the decoy was "indicative of someone who this is not their first time."
While it’s unclear what will happen with Eichorn’s truck, forfeited vehicles can either be sold or added to the police department’s fleet.
What's next:
Federal prosecutors are asking a court to reconsider Eichorn's release after they say he tried to prevent authorities from examining a laptop. Eichorn has since resigned from the Minnesota Senate.
Bloomington PD operation 'I Can't Help Myself' [RAW]
Bloomington police chief Booker Hodges held a press conference Monday regarding the minor prostitution sting, called operation "I Can't Help Myself," that led to the arrest and charges of nine people, including former Minnesota Senator Justin Eichorn.