Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced this week the arrests of three individuals linked to an investigation into illegal abortion.
Monday, a press release “From Paxton's office, Maria Margarita Rojas, a 48-year-old midwife, was taken into custody for “providing illegal abortions and illegally operating a clinic in northwest Houston.”
“Anyone who commits a crime of violating our state's life support laws is accountable.”
According to Paxton's office, Rojas' clients called her “Dr. Maria,” but “she faces two felony charges of practicing medicine without a license and illegally carrying out her.
Rojas reportedly owns and operates several Texas health clinics, including Clinica Waller Latinoamericana at Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge at Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in the spring.
The AG office said the clinic “illegally employed unauthorized individuals who misrepresented themselves as licensed medical professionals to provide medical care.”
“Rojas also carried out illegal abortion procedures at the clinic in a direct violation of Texas' life protection law,” the press release added. “In addition to the arrests, Attorney General Paxton's Health Care Program Enforcement Division has filed a temporary restraining order to close the network of Rojas clinics to prevent further illegal activities.”
On Tuesday, Paxton's office was published second press release It has announced the arrest of 29-year-old Jose Manuel Sendan Rey. He is also accused of practicing medicine without a license.
“Ray is a Cuban citizen who illegally entered the United States in 2022 and was paroled under the open border policy enacted by the lawless Biden administration,” Paxton's office said.
Quoting court records, Texas Tribune Rojas reported that he was first arrested on March 6th and was taken into custody on a $10,000 bond allegedly practicing without a medical license. On Monday, she was arrested again with Ray on additional charges, including illegal abortion. A Waller County judge set $500,000 for bonds for illegal abortion fees and $200,000 for fees related to practice without a medical license.
Rubildo Labanino Matos, 54, was arrested as part of the same investigation. Matos, a nurse practitioner who has been on probation, is also accused of uncertified medicine practice.
Paxton's office said the investigation was ongoing.
“Individuals who kill a fetus by performing illegal abortions in Texas are charged to the full extent of the law and will not rest until justice is served,” Paxton said. “I will continue to fight to protect and strive to protect lives and strive to ensure that anyone who commits a crime in violation of our state's pro-life laws is held liable.”
Paxton's office noted that abortion providers, not patients, can be criminally liable under Texas law.
Rojas did not respond to requests for comment from KPRC. Her appeal to the clinic was not answered, the Texas Tribune reported.
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