Authorities in Texas have arrested a Houston-area midwife and her two associates for allegedly administering illegal abortions, marking the first criminal prosecution under the state's stringent abortion ban. Maria Margarita Rojas, 49, originally an obstetrician from Peru and a licensed midwife in the U.S. since 2018, faces charges alongside Jose Ley, 29, her employee, and Rubildo Labanino Matos, a nurse practitioner. The charges include performing illegal abortions and practicing medicine without proper licensing in the state of Texas.
A detailed affidavit by Lt. Edward Wilkerson from the Texas Attorney General's Office reveals that the investigation began in January after a complaint about two women who allegedly received abortions at the Telge Clinica Latinoamericana in Cypress. The probe extended to several clinics operated by Rojas in Waller, Spring, and Houston. Court documents obtained by Click2Houston highlight that Ley, a Cuban doctor without a Texas medical license, mispresented himself as a healthcare professional, allegedly seeing patients and consulting on medical decisions.
The intermission into the illicit practices spanned over a month, roping in the Office of the Attorney General and the Harris County Sheriff's Office, as per The Texas Tribune. Surveillance on the clinics and interviews with patients formed the bulk of the investigation, resulting in the arrest of Rojas and her associates. A key piece of evidence in the case was the use of misoprostol, a drug known for its abortion-inducing properties, but which is also used in other medical scenarios, particularly for controlling postpartum bleeding.
Rojas's clinics, which primarily serve low-income, Spanish-speaking communities, are now at the center of a controversial case involving abortion rights and access to health services for underserved populations. Holly Shearman, a licensed midwife and friend of Rojas, expressed disbelief at the charges in an interview with Click2Houston, stating, "Shocked. Absolutely shocked." She added, "She said she didn’t understand what was happening." Despite the emotional responses, the $1.4 million bond set for Rojas reflects the approach Texas law is taking in the case.
If convicted, the accused stand to face severe penalties. The second-degree felony charge for performing illegal abortions comes with a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
