St. Thomas Student Recruited Girls In Sex-Trafficking Scheme: Feds

ST. PAUL, MN — A 20-year-old St. Paul woman admitted in federal court Monday to recruiting girls to engage in commercial sex acts, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced.

Gisela Castro Medina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors and one count of obstruction. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.

Between May 2020 and December 2020, Castro Medina conspired with co-defendant Anton Joseph Lazzaro, 32, to recruit six minors in a sex trafficking scheme, authorities said.

During that time, she was the chair of the College Republicans at the University of St. Thomas. Lazzaro was a Minnesota Republican Party operative. He is still facing federal sex trafficking charges.

In May 2020, Castro Medina met Lazzaro through a website called Seeking Arrangements, according to investigators. The "sugar dating" website connects "sugar daddies" with "sugar babies."

Lazzaro invited Castro Medina and a 16-year-old girl to his condo at the Hotel Ivy in Minneapolis, authorities said.

Lazzaro offered alcohol to them both and paid them $600 for sex acts with him, authorities said.

Lazzaro continued to engage in sexual activity with the 16-year-old girl at other times as well, according to investigators. Each time, Lazzaro paid her in the form of an envelope of cash, authorities said.

Castro Medina took a 50 percent cut of each payment, according to investigators.

She also used her social media, school, and friend networks to find other minor girls for Lazzaro to engage in sex acts with for money, according to investigators.

For her role, Lazzaro paid Castro Medina with cash and Venmo payments, authorities said. He also paid the rent and utility payments for her Cretin Avenue apartment, tuition payments to the University of St. Thomas, car payments, and travel expenses, according to investigators.

Castro Medina and Lazzaro discussed which of the girls spoke to law enforcement after federal search warrants were executed in December 2020, authorities said.

Castro Medina and Lazzaro paid off a 15-year-old to prevent her from talking to law enforcement, according to investigators.

Castro Medina picked up the girl in a Mini Cooper and gave her hundreds of dollars in cash, gift cards, vapes, and alcohol, authorities said. She also told the 15-year-old not to text Lazzaro anymore, according to investigators.