Hennepin County, Minnesota (trfnews.i234.me) – Former Minnesota State Senator Justin Eichorn, 41, is pushing back against federal charges in a child sex solicitation sting, alleging he’s being unfairly targeted due to his former political office.
Eichorn, a Republican from Grand Rapids, was one of 14 men arrested in a Bloomington sting earlier this year for allegedly soliciting sex from someone they believed was a 17-year-old girl. Only Eichorn and one other man, Marawan Adel Tawleeleh, who has a past sexual assault conviction, face federal charges with 10-year mandatory sentences, while the rest were prosecuted at the state level with lesser consequences.
Defense attorneys argue that Eichorn, who has no criminal history, would likely face probation if prosecuted in state court. They accuse federal prosecutors of retaliating against Eichorn’s political background and First Amendment rights.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has not yet responded to the June 6 motion to dismiss.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.