No. 25-5904

Lawrence Ray v. United States

Lower Court: Second Circuit
Docketed: 2025-10-16
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: actus-reus criminal-statute enterprise-definition knowledge-requirement rico-conspiracy sex-trafficking
Key Terms:
DueProcess
Latest Conference: 2025-11-21
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether in a RICO conspiracy prosecution the government must prove a de facto enterprise affecting commerce or if a jury can be charged with guilt based on agreement to 'form' an enterprise, and whether the sex trafficking statute requires both conduct and knowledge elements for liability

Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Whether, in a RICO conspiracy prosecution, 18 U.S.C. §1962(d), the government must prove the existence of a de facto enterprise that affects commerce, or whether, as held in the leading appellate case requiring no such proof, the jury can be charged that a defendant is guilty if he participated in an agreement to “form” an enterprise (in commerce) – a notion with no support in the language of the RICO statute and is an erroneous interpretation of Supreme Court law. 2. Whether the sex trafficking statute, 18 U.S.C. §1591(a), requires a finding that both elements – the “conduct” re quirement (the actus reus), and the “knowledge” requirement -are met, as opposed to finding that defendant’s supposed “coercion”, without his performance of an “act ion” enumerated in the statute, suffices for sex trafficking liability.

Docket Entries

2025-11-24
Petition DENIED.
2025-11-06
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/21/2025.
2025-10-30
Waiver of United States of right to respond submitted.
2025-10-30
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2025-10-14
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 17, 2025)

Attorneys

Lawrence Ray
Vivian ShevitzVivian Shevitz, Attorney at Law, Petitioner
Vivian ShevitzVivian Shevitz, Attorney at Law, Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent