United States v. Estrada-Tepal
The case involves Defendants Jorge Estrada-Tepal, Ricardo Estrada-Tepal, and Victor Leonel Estrada-Tepal, who are charged with sex trafficking and related offenses. Defendant Ricardo Estrada-Tepal filed a motion to dismiss all counts brought pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1591, arguing that the law is unconstitutionally overbroad as it infringes upon the right to free association. The Court, after construing the statute, acknowledged its broad scope, which encompasses seemingly harmless conduct without requiring a specific criminal purpose to further sex trafficking. However, the Court determined that the potential interference with intimate and expressive association rights was not substantial in relation to the statute's legitimate goal of eliminating human trafficking. Consequently, the Court denied the Defendant's motion to dismiss.