Texas man allegedly spiked girlfriend's drink with Plan C to terminate her pregnancy, officials say
Justin Anthony Banta, 38, was booked into custody on Friday last week on suspicion of tampering with evidence and capital murder before he posted at $500,000 bond and was released, Parker County authorities said.
A woman claimed she had been seeing Banta and told him in September last year that was pregnant with his child, according to a sheriff's department statement.
The woman met Banta at a coffee shop in nearby Tarrant County where she believes the suspect "secretly added abortion-inducing pills to her drink without her knowledge or permission," the sheriff said.
"The victim reported she lost her baby on Oct. 19, which she believed was a result of the drugs Banta had previously placed in her drink at the coffee shop without her permission," the sheriff added.
Banta, who works in information technology for the U.S. Department of Justice, also "reset" his cell phone during the probe, "thereby deleting crucial evidence related to the case," according to the sheriff.
Banta, who is separated from his wife, said he'd seen this woman four times. He and defense attorney Michael Heiskell denied the defendant spiked any drinks.
"He's innocent of these charges," Heiskell told NBC News. "He has cooperated with the investigators since last fall when all of this brouhaha arose after his relationship ended with this woman. He is not guilty."
At this point in the probe, law enforcement has not shown Banta any evidence to confirm the woman's pregnancy, according to Heiskell.
"There were discussions about her being pregnant, but that was never confirmed by her to him. And yes, he did research Plan C," said Heiskell, who denied his client put that medication in the accuser's drink.
Texas law bans nearly all abortions, so abortion-inducing pills cannot be obtained from doctors or pharmacists in the state.
However, people are often still able to obtain the medication through any number of online providers.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
Texas GOP poised to pass new map
TEXAS REPUBLICANS are on the brink of passing newly drawn congressional maps to help the GOP win more House seats in the 2026 midterm elections after a grueling political battle that sparked a redistricting arms race across the country. The Texas state House convened Wednesday morning with plans to vote on a new bill to implement the map, which could help House Republicans win five more seats next year. The final vote had been delayed by several weeks after Texas Democrats fled the state to deny the legislature a quorum. The drama has continued since the Democrats returned this week, with public safety officers following the lawmakers around to ensure they don't skip town again. Several Democrats slept in the legislative chambers rather than be followed by law enforcement. NBC News reports Texas Republicans expedited the procedural process to bring up the final vote, which could happen as early as Wednesday evening. Once passed by the House, the bill will go to the state Senate, where it passed in the previous special session. From there, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) plans to sign it into law. There is little Texas Democrats can do to stop the bill's passage by the GOP majority, although they're trying to throw up roadblocks. Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu introduced an amendment that would allow a new House map to take effect only after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly releases files related to Jeffrey Epstein. State Rep. Chris Turner (D) proposed an amendment seeking to nullify the new map by arguing it violates the Voting Rights Act. That's not the only political fight happening in Texas. State Attorney General Ken Paxton 's lead over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Senate Republican primary has been cut in half, according to a new survey from Texas Southern University's Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center. MEANWHILE IN CALIFORNIA… Republicans are suing to stop Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) from calling a special election to vote on new gerrymandered maps favorable to Democrats. California Democrats unveiled their newly drawn congressional maps on Tuesday, with the aim of picking up five House seats in 2026. Former President Obama praised Newsom's efforts at a Tuesday fundraiser on Martha's Vineyard. 'I believe that Gov. Newsom's approach is a responsible approach,' Obama said, according to remarks obtained by The Associated Press. 'He said this is going to be responsible. We're not going to try to completely maximize it. We're only going to do it if and when Texas and/or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesn't go into effect.' Newsom has grabbed the national spotlight for his retaliatory redistricting efforts and for co-opting President Trump 's style on his social media accounts. The Hill's Amie Parnes writes: 'In an effort to egg Trump on — and rally his own troops in the Democratic Party — Newsom has taken a page from Trump's playbook, mirroring everything from the president's rants to his social media habits cover.' Newsom is winning the attention wars, getting loads of media coverage that has helped propel him to the top of the Democratic presidential primary polls. A new survey from Politico finds Newsom at 25 percent support in California, followed by former Vice President Harris at 19 percent, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 13 percent and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) at 10 percent. Many Democrats are thrilled to see Newsom fighting Trump. 'Standing up for Dem values doesn't mean you have to play by the old rules, and Newsom in particular is showing he'll go as low as he needs to to take on Trump,' said Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons. Still, Newsom's style has not been well-received everywhere. 'The Democrats are trying to find their footing and it's quite embarrassing, actually,' MSNBC host Joe Scarborough said Wednesday. 'Gavin Newsom, have you see what he's doing online? It's like, take a deep breath. Don't try to turn the ship 180 degrees. They don't know what to do. I have a good idea, instead of trying to school Donald Trump, talk into the camera about affordability. Talk about making groceries more affordable. Talk about what you'll do for housing. Talk about what you'd do for energy prices which keep going up.' MORE POLITICS… • The Democratic Party is facing a registration crisis, according to a new analysis from The New York Times: 'Of the 30 states that track voter registration by political party, Democrats lost ground to Republicans in every single one between the 2020 and 2024 elections — and often by a lot. That four-year swing toward the Republicans adds up to 4.5 million voters, a deep political hole that could take years for Democrats to climb out from.' • The Wall Street Journal reports that Elon Musk is pumping the brakes on launching his independent political party, in part because he's developed a friendship with Vice President Vance and might support his potential presidential campaign in 2028. 💡 Perspectives: • Washington Examiner: Is socialism as popular as the media think? • New Republic: Dem establishment's shunning of Mamdani is disqualifying. • New York Post: Newsom's desperate bid to claim the 'new Trump' mantle. • Racket: What's the point of selling Fannie and Freddie? • After Babel: We are rushing into the same mistakes with social media. Read more: • Trump's war on mail-in voting could boomerang on GOP. • Pesticides test MAHA-MAGA alliance. • Trump targets museums as last remaining segment of 'woke'. • Philanthropic organizations commit $37M to fund public media stations. • Education Department threatens funding for Northern Virginia schools over trans student policies. CATCH UP QUICK A federal judge rejected the Trump administration's bid to unseal grand jury materials used to charge disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein with sex trafficking, instead saying the government is the 'logical party' to make any sweeping disclosures. A federal judge tossed a defamation lawsuit against Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) filed after she took to the House floor to accuse a man of being a predator. Bed, Bath & Beyond Chairman Marcus Lemonis announced Wednesday the store will no longer open retail stores in California, saying, 'This isn't about politics — it's about reality.' The Trump administration launched its first TikTok account, even as the fate of the social media app in the U.S. remains unclear. US, allies meet on Ukraine security guarantees U.S. and NATO military officials met Wednesday as they sought to hash out an agreement that provides Ukraine with future security guarantees against Russian aggression. 'Great, candid discussion among NATO Chiefs of Defence, today,' Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, NATO's military chief, posted on X. 'We are united, and that unity was truly tangible today, as always,' he added. President Trump has opened the door to U.S. involvement in securing Ukraine, although he's ruled out NATO membership and U.S. boots on the ground. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading the U.S. efforts on Ukrainian security. NBC News reports that Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted several European Chiefs of Defense on Tuesday evening to discuss the matter. Trump reportedly called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban this week to to win his support for Ukraine to join the European Union (EU). However, Russia said Wednesday that discussions around Ukrainian security guarantees are a 'road to nowhere' unless Moscow is involved in the talks. 'This will not work,' said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. A day earlier, Lavrov signaled Moscow would slow-walk a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, even as the White House says Putin already agreed to it. The Trump administration is working to secure the meeting between the two leaders, with Trump set to join a trilateral meeting, if that goes well. 'I thought it would be better if they met without me, just to see,' Trump said in an interview on 'The Mark Levin Show.' 'I want to see what goes on. You know, they had a hard relationship, very bad, very bad relationship.' Meanwhile, the summits Trump has been holding have put his threats of new sanctions against Russia on ice. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) posted on X earlier this week that Congress is ready to pass sanctions if Trump says the word. Israel is preparing to take over Gaza City. 'I instruct you to use all tools and all power to strike the enemy until it is subdued, and to protect I.D.F. soldiers,' Defense Minister Israel Katz told troops in a statement released by the military. The Wall Street Journal reports that Israel called up 60,000 reservists ahead of the invasion. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering a new ceasefire proposal that Hamas has reportedly agreed to. In the interview with Levin, Trump described both himself and Netanyahu as war heroes. 'Bibi is a good man. He's in there fighting. He's fighting. You know, they're trying to put him in jail on top of everything else. How about that?' Trump said. 'He's a war hero, because we work together. He's a war hero. I guess I am, too.' The Trump administration announced Wednesday it would impose sanctions on four members of the International Criminal Court, saying they are engaged in efforts to unjustly 'investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute' Americans and Israelis. 💡 Perspectives: • New York Post: Trump redefines what it means to be commander-in-chief. • The Guardian: There is no Trump doctrine. Only chaos. • The Australian: Albanese's Palestine call comes at worst time for allies. • The Hill: Palestinians deserve a state. • BIG: Data centers aren't the main villain behind higher electric bills. Roundup: Trump officials probe DC crime stats The Justice Department launched an investigation into Washington, D.C. 's crime reporting data after Trump accused local officials of understating the severity of crime in the nation's capital. The investigation comes amid the president's surge of troops in D.C. for what he's described as a public safety emergency. The District's own crime data shows a decline in crime following a spike in 2023. Last month, a D.C. police commander was suspended for allegedly manipulating data to make it seem that crime had fallen. A new poll finds that a strong majority of residents in Washington oppose Trump's takeover of the police department. Still, the Trump administration is relishing the fight. Vice President Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller visited Union Station on Wednesday to meet with National Guard troops stationed there. Miller railed against what he called 'stupid white hippies' who were at Union Station protesting the crackdown. Vance praised what he described as progress in cleaning up the historic train hub. 'I think Union Station is a great example of what's possible when you actually have the political willpower to bring law and order and common decency back to the public spaces of the United States of America,' he said. • Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former intelligence officials, many of them from the Biden administration. 'Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right,' Gabbard posted on X. 'Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold. In doing so, they undermine our national security, the safety and security of the American people and the foundational principles of our democratic republic.' Gabbard previously revoked clearances for former President Biden, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), among others. • Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, created a legal defense fund as he prepares to fight a Trump administration investigation into the purchase of his Maryland home. Trump has accused Schiff of illegally obtaining favorable lending terms. Schiff denies the allegations. 'It's clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Senator Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable,' Marisol Samayoa, a spokesperson for Schiff, said in a statement. 'This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job.' • Trump on Wednesday called for the resignation Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook following allegations by the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) that she committed mortgage fraud. FHFA Director William Pulte wrote on social media Wednesday morning that Cook had designated two of her houses as her primary residences. 'Lisa D. Cook, committed mortgage fraud by designating her out-of-state condo as her primary residence, just two weeks after taking a loan on her Michigan home where she also declared it as her primary residence,' he said. Trump called for Cook to step down shortly after.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
A hurdle in Ukraine peace talks planning and heat wave to hit the Southwest: Morning Rundown
Some doubts and one big question have emerged in Donald Trump's push for Ukraine peace talks. A heat wave is set to grip the Southwest, while the East Coast braces for potential effects from Hurricane Erin. And after the NBA got rid of microbets, will other pro sports do the same? Here's what to know today. Trump's plan for Ukraine peace talks faces a major challenge A White House meeting this week between President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders marked a rare display of trans-Atlantic unity and a chance for Trump to show his authority. And now, Trump is pushing for another spectacle: a meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Trump doubled down on the push yesterday, saying on Fox News that 'Putin is going to be good' to set up a meeting with Zelenskyy. Finnish President Alexander Stubb — who bonded with Trump over a mutual love of golf and has emerged as a pivotal figure in efforts to end the war — said he hoped for something to happen 'within the next two weeks.' But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was more cautious, warning that a summit would have to be 'step by step, gradually' and go 'through all the necessary steps.' The White House is actively looking to secure a meeting location and date, a senior administration official told NBC News. Hungarian capital Budapest and Geneva in Switzerland have been among the sites discussed, the official said. The site of the meeting is complicated as Putin faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court that obligates the 125 countries that are party to the court to arrest the Russian leader and transfer him to The Hague for States and NATO military officials are set to meet to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump made clear Tuesday that this would not include U.S. 'boots on the ground' but could see the U.S. provide air support as part of such an arrangement. Read the full story here. More politics news: The Justice Department is investigating whether Washington, D.C., police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower, law enforcement officials said. Trump has ordered his attorneys to conduct a review of Smithsonian museums, accusing the institutions of focusing too much 'on how bad slavery was.' Extreme heat in the Southwest, and rip currents on the East Coast An estimated 80 million people will be under extreme heat warnings and advisories across the Southwest as federal forecasters predict a swirling system of warm air will toast the region through the weekend. Warnings begin today in parts of Southern California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom is moving more firefighting resources. Warnings will also be in effect in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, and temperatures in the 90s are expected as far north as Seattle. Here's what else to know about the heat wave. Meanwhile on the East Coast, Hurricane Erin still packs a powerful punch even though it weakened to a Category 2 yesterday morning. Dangerous rip currents were already occurring on some East Coast beaches, with no-swimming advisories in effect along coastal towns in North Carolina, Delaware and New Jersey. Erin was forecast to pass near the Bahamas last night before moving north and northeast to the U.S. East Coast today and Thursday. Here's what else to know about Hurricane Erin. Israel approves plan for Gaza City takeover, call-up of reservists Israel has approved a plan for the takeover of Gaza City that includes calling up 60,000 reservists for its expanded military operation in the besieged Palestinian enclave. The U.S. ally appeared to be pushing ahead with a new phase of its war despite international opposition — and in the face of a renewed push for a ceasefire. Defense Minister Israel Katz has authorized the plans for the major new operation, a spokesperson for the ministry confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday. It will also see an additional 20,000 reservists have their service extended, the Israeli military said. Read the full story here. Doctors say medical misinformation has gotten worse A new survey of doctors shows medical falsehoods have grown not only online, but also within the medical exam rooms where doctors and patients interact. According to the survey of 1,002 physicians by the nonprofit research group Physicians Foundation: → 61% of doctors said they encountered patients influenced by misinformation or disinformation a moderate amount or a great deal of the time in the past year; and → 86% of physicians said the incidence of such falsehoods among patients has increased over the past five years, with 50% saying it has increased significantly The results show the difficult position medical professionals are in, said Dr. Seema Yasmin, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University who was not involved in the study. But further research should look at how many physicians admit to having fallen for false information themselves, she said. Read the full story here. Read All About It Being overweight or obese has been linked to a greater risk of developing breast cancer. New research suggests a reason. Raw frozen shrimp products sold at Walmart stores in 13 states may have been contaminated with radioactive material, the FDA warned. Arkansas officials' report about a man known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' revealed how he planned his jail escape and evaded authorities for several days. A federal appeals court reversed the dismissal of a lawsuit that comedians Eric André and Clayton English filed in 2022. The pair had alleged they were stopped for racially motivated searches at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Astronomers have discovered a moon orbiting Uranus that's so small a person could walk it in two hours. Staff Pick: Could the NBA influence other sports to get rid of microbets? These days, it's not unusual to see a headline about a professional athlete ensnared in an investigation into sports gambling. What these stories often have in common is a certain type of bet, called a 'prop bet' or 'microbet,' that pro sports leagues suggest are easily manipulated by individual players. After one gambling scandal left a player permanently banned from the NBA, the league restricted how many prop bets are offered. I wanted to find out how the league persuaded its gambling partners to take down such bets and see whether it could be a precedent followed by other leagues, such as Major League Baseball, as it deals with its own sports-betting investigation. At stake is a delicate balance and potentially billions of dollars. — Andrew Greif, sports reporter NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified Talking Shop is an NBC Select series where the team talks to interesting people about their most interesting buys. We recently spoke with Tower 28 Founder and CEO Amy Liu about her favorite straw hat, water bottle, fragrance-free body wash and much more. Plus, we gathered over 30 new and notable product releases from brands like Hoka, DJI and more. Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week. Thanks for reading today's Morning Rundown. Today's newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you're a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Convicted felon in Lufkin pleads guilty to federal firearms violation
LUFKIN, Texas (KETK)– A Lufkin man pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation after being arrested in February. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Eastern District of Texas, on Feb. 3, 2025, Preston Allen, 58, was arrested at his house in Lufkin when officers found him standing outside with an AR-15 style rifle. 'Operation Take Back America': 2 Mexican nationals sentenced after trafficking meth in East Texas 'Allen was ordered to put the rifle on the ground and was taken into custody,' officials said. 'Further investigation revealed Allen is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.' Allen pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on Tuesday and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The Department of Justice said a sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation. Lufkin man pleads guilty to federal firearms violation Allen's case was part of Operation Take Back America, 'a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
