State suspends midwife license of Houston-area woman accused of illegally performing abortions

HOUSTON - The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has suspended the license of a Houston-area midwife accused of illegally performing abortions without a medical license.

What we know:

Maria Margarita Rojas' midwife license was suspended through an emergency order by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. 

The agency said the suspension was pending the outcome of the criminal case against Rojas.

What they're saying:

"The accusation that she practiced medicine without a license, including holding herself out as a gynecologist and making terminal medical decisions for pregnant clients, falls outside the scope of practice for midwives in Texas," the agency said in a release.

The backstory:

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 said 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.

"In this case we're dealing with someone who is not licensed to practice medicine and who allegedly performed an abortion," he said. 

Investigators with the Attorney General's Office said 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.

Both Rojas and Ley are charged with at least two counts of performing an illegal abortion and practicing medicine without a license.

Bond was set at $500,000 for each count of performing an illegal abortion and $200,000 for each count of practicing medicine without a license for each defendant. 

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 a temporary restraining order to shut down the clinics.

The Attorney General's Office is expected to prosecute the case.

The Associated Press reports that this is the first time authorities have filed criminal charges under the state’s near-total abortion ban.