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Texas authorities have announced the arrest of a midwife who illegally performed abortions and practiced medicine without a license at multiple Houston-area clinics.
Some shit you should know before you read: In the state of Texas, abortion is almost entirely banned under the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021, which criminalizes performing or assisting in an abortion unless the procedure is necessary to save the mother’s life. The law imposes severe penalties, including up to life in prison and civil fines of at least $100,000 per violation for those who unlawfully perform abortions. Texas law does not prosecute patients who undergo abortions but holds providers and those who assist them criminally responsible.
What’s going on now: In an announcement, the Texas Attorney General’s Office confirmed the arrests of Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, a midwife operating multiple clinics in the Houston area, and her employee, Jose Ley, 29, for illegally performing abortions and practicing medicine without a license. Authorities allege that Rojas falsely presented herself as a gynecologist and provided abortion-inducing drugs to patients under misleading pretenses. Ley, a former doctor from Cuba who is not licensed in Texas, assisted in medical procedures at Rojas’ clinics despite having no legal authorization to practice. A third individual, Rubildo Labanino Matos, 54, a nurse practitioner on disciplinary probation, was also arrested and charged with conspiracy to practice medicine without a license.
The investigation began after a complaint was filed with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, alleging that two women had received abortions at Rojas’ clinic in Waller. Surveillance by the Attorney General’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in early 2024 revealed that unlicensed individuals were providing medical treatment at Rojas’ clinics. Investigators observed Ley working alone at one location, seeing patients, and appearing to conduct medical procedures. Search warrants executed in March uncovered abortion-inducing drugs, ultrasound machines, forceps, and other medical supplies.
Patient testimonies provided further evidence against Rojas. A woman identified as EG told investigators that Rojas and her staff misled her into believing her pregnancy had only a small chance of success, prompting her to take abortion pills. EG later discovered that Rojas was not a gynecologist. Another patient, DV, confirmed she underwent an abortion at Rojas’ clinic at eight weeks pregnant. Investigators also tracked a couple visiting one of the clinics in early March, witnessing the woman leaving after an apparent medical procedure.
Based on this evidence, Rojas and Ley were formally charged with performing illegal abortions and practicing medicine without a license. Their bonds were set at $500,000 for the abortion-related charges and $200,000 for the medical license violations. Rojas and Ley face a prison sentence of up to 20 years if convicted.
