A Texas man, Justin Anthony Banta, 38, has been arrested for allegedly spiking a romantic partner’s drink with abortion-inducing medication, resulting in the end of her pregnancy without her consent. Authorities reported that Banta was taken into custody on charges of tampering with evidence and capital murder and was released on a $500,000 bond.
The accusations stem from an incident where the victim, who had been seeing Banta, informed him of her pregnancy in September 2022. The woman claimed that during a meeting at a coffee shop in Tarrant County, Banta secretly added the medication to her drink. She reported a miscarriage on October 19, attributing it to the drugs he allegedly placed in her drink.
Banta, who works in information technology for the U.S. Department of Justice, is also accused of deleting crucial evidence from his cellphone during the investigation. He has denied the allegations, with his defense attorney asserting that he is innocent and has cooperated with the investigation since the relationship ended. The attorney claimed that there was no confirmed evidence of the woman’s pregnancy provided to Banta, and while he researched abortion medication, he did not administer it to her.
The case is particularly significant within the context of Texas law, which severely restricts access to abortion and related medications, complicating the circumstances of the alleged actions. The investigation continues, with law enforcement yet to present concrete evidence regarding the woman’s pregnancy, as noted by Banta’s attorney.
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