MN senator arrested: Prosecutors seek new detention hearing after new incident
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.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Federal prosecutors are asking a court to reconsider the release of now-former Minnesota Senator Justin Eichorn after they say he tried to prevent authorities from examining a laptop.
Minnesota senator arrested in sting
The backstory:
Bloomington police said Eichorn was busted in a prostitution sting involving officers posing as a teen girl.
Officers said Eichorn texted an undercover officer pretending to be a 17-year-old girl. He asked for photos of the girl, asked how much it would cost for sex without a condom, and haggled about the rates, a criminal complaint stated.
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.
Eichorn was arrested last week when he showed up for the meet-up, police said. In his vehicle, investigators found two cell phones, a box of condoms, and $129 in cash.
Last week, after pressure from both sides of the aisle, Eichorn resigned as a senator.
What's next:
After a hearing in federal court last week, Eichorn was granted release pending an open bed in a halfway house facility.
Now, prosecutors are asking a judge to reconsider that decision and rescind his release. As of Sunday night, Eichorn remains behind bars but was expected to be released on Tuesday.
MN senator resigns after arrest: Reaction
Minnesota Senator Justin Eichorn has resigned from office after his arrest on charges of trying to solicit a child.
Laptop incident
What we know:
In court documents, prosecutors accused Eichorn of "orchestrat[ing] an effort to retrieve a computer from his St. Paul apartment to deprive investigators of the opportunity to examine it" while behind bars.
According to prosecutors, the FBI encountered a woman who attempted to enter Eichorn's St. Paul apartment as they were readying to search the apartment.
The woman asked agents to enter the apartment in order to get a computer she said "she used for her business." FBI agents didn't let her in but asked to interview her, which she declined.
The complaint doesn't say exactly who the woman is or her relationship to Eichorn, other than saying she is a "close associate".
What they're saying:
The documents don't say if agents found any relevant evidence on Eichorn's laptop. However, the new documents do include jailhouse phone calls Eichorn made to the woman who went to the apartment.
In the calls, Eichorn and the woman discuss a cell phone and computer. At the start of the first call, Eichorn warns the woman the line isn't secure.
A phone and a gun found in the Justin Eichorn case. (Federal court filings)
Call 1 (March 19, 2025)
Eichorn: "Speaking of that, they did take both the phones that were in my vehicle. Obviously they –"
Individual A: "I know I already, I already, yup, I know."
Eichorn: "Okay. So, you are on the account for AT&T –"
Indiv. A: "Already taken care of."
Eichorn: "What do you mean? Did you get me a new phone already or did you do the apartment one?"
Indiv. A: "Apartment."
Eichorn: "Okay, so you, you have a phone to do apartment stuff."
Indiv. A: "Yup."
Eichorn: "Have you –"
Indiv. A: "Already taken care of."
Call 2 (March 20, 2025)
Indiv. A: "Apartment stuff is taken care of, just so you know."
Eichorn: "You’re handling all of it. There might be a lease or two that needs to be printed, but I mean that’s something that once I’m at the next place I can tell you what to do, and you can give it to Amy to be printed. Then we can -- "
Indiv. A: "I was hoping so because we have one for the 24th. So."
Eichorn: "Yes. So we can do that I can tell you how to create one, um."
Indiv. A: "Well I remember most of it. But yes if you were gonna …" [cross talk]
Indiv. A: "Be there tomorrow and eventually you can walk me through over the weekend that would be great."
Eichorn: "You don’t even need—you can just use – if you have your computer, you don’t even need the apartment one. Because it’s all online. And then – " [cross talk]
Indiv. A: "Well there are other, I mean. I still want to go pick it up um. Tomorrow, so. I, I have a ride, I have a ride to pick it up and people to be with the kids tomorrow."
Eichorn: "One more thing, um, when they got me they broke my my ring. Uh, there should be an extra one there, cause I have the extra one in my bag. It might, it’s either in the bathroom or on the counter by my red bag. If you’re willing to get that for me I would so like to have that if if it’s ok."
Indiv. A: "Ok."
Eichorn: "Are you ok with that? If you’re not you should just leave it there."
Indiv. A: "I will grab whatever you need me to grab."
What they found:
In the apartment, officers found a laptop, an iPhone that had been factory reset, $1,000 in cash, and a handgun that they said Eichorn hadn't previously disclosed.
The Source: Federal court documents filed against former Minnesota Sen. Justin Eichorn were used to compile this story, as well as previous FOX 9 reporting on Eichorn's arrest and charges against him.