ST. PAUL — A federal judge this week dismissed former Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn’s argument that he’s being unfairly prosecuted in a child solicitation case because of his status as a former lawmaker.

Eichorn was arrested in a sting operation on March 17 and resigned from the Senate on March 20 ahead of a vote to expel him. He pleaded not guilty on April 21 to federal charges of attempting to solicit a minor for prostitution.

The Grand Rapids Republican senator, 41, appeared in court in August, where his attorney Charles Hawkins argued Eichorn shouldn’t be federally prosecuted. Hawkins said that of the 19 arrested in the March sting operation, four are being prosecuted federally. One of the four has a history of criminal sexual assault, whereas Eichorn has a criminal his

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