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Texas Files First Criminal Case Under Abortion Ban Against Houston Midwife

Maria Margarita Rojas faces felony charges for allegedly performing illegal abortions and operating clinics with unlicensed personnel in violation of state law.

Protesters hold up signs as they march down Congress Ave at a protest outside the Texas state capitol on May 29, 2021, in Austin, Texas.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appears at a pretrial hearing in his securities fraud case before state District Judge Andrea Beall, Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Harris County Criminal Courts at Law in Houston.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a news conference in Dallas, June 22, 2017.

Overview

  • Maria Margarita Rojas, a Houston-area midwife, has been charged with performing illegal abortions and practicing medicine without a license, marking the first criminal case under Texas' 2022 abortion ban.
  • Rojas allegedly operated clinics in Waller, Cypress, and Spring, employing unlicensed individuals who falsely claimed to be licensed medical professionals.
  • The charges include a second-degree felony for illegal abortion, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and a third-degree felony for practicing medicine without a license, carrying up to 10 years in prison.
  • Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the charges and is seeking a temporary restraining order to shut down Rojas' clinics to prevent further violations.
  • The case, referred by Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore, will proceed to a grand jury for potential indictment, with additional charges expected.