Court Upholds Conviction in Pregnancy Center Vandalism Case
A court recently upheld the conviction of a woman involved in vandalizing pro-life pregnancy centers in Florida. Gabriela Oropesa had argued that her actions, which included spray-painting threatening messages, didn’t constitute a “conspiracy against rights.” However, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed.
Oropesa, alongside others, targeted two facilities in May and July 2022, leaving messages like “If Abortion Isn’t Safe, Abortion Isn’t Safe.” This incident arose amid a concerning trend of violence against pro-life centers that year. Following these events, the Department of Justice pursued further charges under the Freedom of Clinic Admissions Act, also known as the FACE Act.
On Thursday, Jesus Osete, Chief Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, mentioning that justice had been served regarding the damage inflicted on these centers after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which did not affirm a constitutional right to abortion.
The panel of judges clarified that Oropesa’s actions fell within the parameters of Section 241, a conspiracy law that applies to rights guaranteed by U.S. laws, which includes violations of the FACE Act. Oropesa’s attorney did not provide any comments for media outlets following the ruling.
Oropesa received a sentence of 120 days in jail along with three years of supervised release, after which she was released in August. Additionally, she resolved a civil lawsuit that required her to pay a fine of $13,000 and maintain a distance from the targeted centers.
The Justice Department has faced challenges in identifying individuals responsible for vandalism at pregnancy centers amid a broader investigation into such incidents, focusing more on abortion clinic protesters previously. Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, has vowed to uphold protections for pro-life facilities under the current administration.
