A second individual has been apprehended in connection with a Texas midwife accused of facilitating illegal abortions at a network of clinics situated outside Houston. Jose Manuel Cendan Ley, a 29-year-old medical assistant, faces allegations of conducting illicit abortion procedures and practicing medicine without proper licensing in a clinic linked to Maria Margarita Rojas. Rojas’s detention was publicized earlier in the week by Ken Paxton, Texas’ Attorney General, renowned for his staunch Republican stance.
Court documents elucidate that Ley’s first arrest occurred on March 6, followed by a brief release on bond prior to a subsequent arrest on the recent Monday. Rojas, aged 48, confronts charges similar to Ley’s, involving illegal abortion services and practicing medicine sans a license, categorized as felonies of the second and third degree. Her alleged operations involve three facilities northwest of Houston, conducting unlawful abortion procedures—marking an unprecedented application of criminal charges since the initiation of the extensive abortion prohibitions in the state.
The Attorney General’s statement claims Ley was engaged as a medical assistant in one of Rojas’s clinics, allegedly undertaking at least one unauthorized abortion. Furthermore, the statement identifies Ley as a Cuban national with unlawful U.S. entry in 2022, later granted parole. Another suspect, Rubildo Labanino Matos, aged 54, has also been arrested due to suspicions of unlicensed medical practice related to this investigation.
“Individuals committing abortions in contravention of Texas laws will face the full legal repercussions. I am committed to ensuring justice, safeguarding life, and holding accountable those transgressing our state’s pro-life regulations,” articulated Paxton in a formal declaration. It’s noted that there are no legal representatives listed for either Ley or Rojas in court records to speak on their behalf.
Convictions for performing unauthorized abortions could result in prison sentences of up to 20 years, while the penalties for practicing medicine without a license can reach a decade in imprisonment. Texas enforces a pervasive abortion prohibition, excluding only scenarios where the patient endures life-threatening conditions. Critics argue the existing ban lacks clarity in defining permissible medical exceptions, prompting a state legislator to propose a legislative bill intending to elucidate these exceptions.
Earlier this year, a New York-based physician was indicted by a Louisiana grand jury, accused of unlawfully prescribing abortion medications online to a Louisiana resident. In a similar vein, Paxton has initiated civil proceedings against the New York doctor.
