Department of Justice Employee Charged with Capital Murder

Police have reported that a worker from the U.S. Department of Justice is facing serious charges after allegedly secretly inducing a miscarriage in his pregnant girlfriend by spiking her drink with abortion pills.

Justin Anthony Banta, 38, who is employed in the DOJ’s IT department, has been charged with capital murder in Parker County, Texas. According to the sheriff’s office, he supposedly added “Plan C” abortion pills to his girlfriend’s coffee.

The relationship took a turn when they discovered the pregnancy in September 2024. The unnamed woman declined Banta’s offer to terminate the pregnancy using medication he had purchased online, as stated by the authorities.

Initially happy about the pregnancy, she had seen a strong heartbeat during a sonogram on October 17. Sadly, that same day, suspicions grew that Banta may have tampered with her drink while they were out at a coffee shop.

The following day, the woman experienced severe bleeding and was rushed to the emergency room, where she lost the pregnancy. She then reported the incident to law enforcement.

Banta was subsequently interviewed, and his phone was seized for evidence. However, authorities allege that he may have obstructed the investigation by attempting to perform a remote reset on his device, which hindered access to crucial information.

This alleged obstruction appears to add another layer to the charges against him, which already include serious accusations filed by the Texas Rangers. It remains unclear what penalties he faces in conjunction with the capital murder charge, and the Justice Department has not yet commented on the situation.