Former Sen. Justin Eichorn pleads not guilty to attempted enticement of a minor

Justin Eichorn, the former Minnesota Republican state senator who was arrested last month in an undercover child prostitution sting, pleaded not guilty Monday to the federal charge against him.

A grand jury indicted Eichorn on one count of attempted enticement of a minor after allegedly arranging to meet with an undercover Bloomington police officer whom he believed was a 17-year-old girl. He resigned on March 20, just before the Senate was poised to vote on his expulsion.

A special election in Senate District 6 is set for April 29. Voters will choose between Republican Keri Heintzeman and Democrat Denise Slipy to fill the vacant seat.

During his initial appearance in federal court on March 20, Judge Shannon Elkins ordered Eichorn to stay in a halfway house until trial and barred him from contacting anyone under 18 unless supervised by a court official.

Prior to Monday’s arraignment hearing, Eichorn’s attorneys filed a motion asking to revise the conditions of his release to let him see his four minor children, in part to discuss a pending divorce with his wife and to address questions of custody. However, a document was filed Monday withdrew that same motion.

“Modifying the conditions of Mr. Eichorn’s release to allow contact with his children by telephone and in person visits would not undermine any of the conditions of his release previously imposed,” the motion states.

A motion hearing is set for June 18.