The former chair of the University of St. Thomas College Republicans is facing federal charges in connection with a child sex trafficking scheme involving Minnesota GOP donor Tony Lazzaro.

Gisela Castro Medina, 19, of St. Paul, allegedly conspired with Lazzaro, 30, and others between May and December 2020 to solicit six underage victims to engage in commercial sex acts, according to acting Minnesota U.S. Attorney Anders Folk. She is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, five counts of sex trafficking of minors and one count of obstruction.

A Minnesota federal judge signed a warrant for Castro Medina's arrest on Thursday, and she was taken into custody Friday in Okaloosa County, Florida, and made her initial appearance Monday in a federal court in Pensacola, Florida. She will be taken to Minnesota and will be held pending further court proceedings.

Lazzaro is being held pending a formal detention hearing, which has been rescheduled for Aug. 24.

Minnesota College Republicans have since denounced Castro Medina's alleged actions. The University of St. Thomas said Castro Medina was enrolled as a second-year student, but any student charged with a felony charges faces an interim suspension.

To see the original report and read related stories, follow this link to the KSTP-TV website. https://kstp.com/news/woman-accused-of-conspiring-with-minnesota-gop-donor-indicted-on-federal-sex-t...