Texas midwife, man charged with illegal abortions

Two people accused of illegally providing abortions in the Houston area have been arrested, according to the Waller County District Attorney's Office. Maria Margarita Rojas, 49, a midwife known as "Dr. Maria" from Cypress, and Jose Cendan Ley, 29, a Cuban citizen living in Houston, were taken into custody and charged with the illegal performance of an abortion and practicing medicine without a license. Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore says that the Attorney General's Office came to him a few months ago to tell him that they were investigating what they called an "illegal abortion" that happened in Waller. Investigators with the Attorney General's Office says Rojas owned and operated multiple clinics: Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge in Cypress, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic in Spring. The facilities allegedly employed unlicensed individuals who posed as medical professionals, according to the AG's Office. Rojas herself is accused of performing illegal abortions in the clinics. Bond was set at $700,000 for each suspect. Providing an illegal abortion is a second-degree felony that comes with a prison sentence of up to 20 years, if convicted. Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, abortion providers can receive civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation. The Healthcare Program Enforcement Division of the Attorney General's Office filed for a temporary restraining order to shut down the clinics. The Attorney General's Office is expected to prosecute the case.