Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Anton Joseph Lazzaro v. United States
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, No. 23-3098, 23-3411 · judgment February 25, 2025
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
Does a person who engages in otherwise lawful, consensual sex with a 16 or 17-year-old dating partner commit “sex-trafficking” if the person gives unconditional gifts to the date? May a person be convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a), for the sex trafficking of a minor without knowledge that a minor would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Daniel L. Gerdts
Daniel L. Gerdts, Lawyer
For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General
Case
Subject area
Criminal Procedure (estimated from the questions presented, in the Supreme Court Database’s categories)
Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference
Order
Order list, October 6, 2025 · Certiorari denied
Proceedings
- Oct 06 2025Petition DENIED.
- Aug 27 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
- Aug 20 2025Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
- Aug 04 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 8, 2025)