A Meriden man who gave two teen girls cash, marijuana and alcohol to kick him in the groin, advertised one girl as a sex worker and took pornographic images of an underage girl has pleaded guilty to more than a dozen sex crimes, officials said.
Anthony Lazzari, 48, pleaded guilty Tuesday to 16 charges ranging from sexual assault to promoting prostitution in three cases involving girls ages 9, 14 and 16, according to New Haven State’s Attorney John P. Doyle Jr.
Lazzari is facing a sentence of up to 20 years — suspended after he serves eight — and 10 years of sex offender probation. He also must register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release.
According to court records, Lazzari gave cash, marijuana and alcohol to the 14- and 16-year-old girls in exchange for them kicking him in the groin on multiple occasions and offered them “items of value” in exchange for sex. He also used photos from one of the girls’ social media accounts to create an advertisement to try to find people who would pay to sexually abuse the girls, Doyle said.
During an investigation that spanned more than a year, police say they learned Lazzari was using social media to entice minors and that he used the website of a dating and escort service to promote their sexual abuse, according to the Meriden Police Department.
Investigators also found pornographic photos of the third victim on one of Lazzari’s devices, Doyle said.
Lazzari pleaded guilty to commercial sexual abuse of a minor, first-degree promoting prostitution, enticing a minor, third-degree possession of child pornography, fourth-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor and patronizing a prostitute, Doyle said.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in New Haven Superior Court on Nov. 6.