Latest news with #JustinBanta
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Man, 38, accused of spiking pregnant girlfriend's drink with abortion drug
A 38-year-old man is facing capital murder and tampering with evidence charges in connection with accusations he terminated his girlfriend's pregnancy without her consent or knowledge, investigators announced earlier this week. The alleged incident, according to a news release from the Parker County Sheriff's Department in Texas, an area about 35 miles west of Fort Worth, occurred in October 2024. An unidentified woman who was reportedly dating the suspect, identified as Justin Anthony Banta, a Texas resident and employee of the United States Department of Justice, told sheriff's investigators that she'd informed the 38-year-old that she was pregnant in September 2024. Banta, according to the woman, told her he would cover the cost of an abortion and suggested they order the abortion-inducing medication Plan C online. 'The victim informed Banta of her desire to keep the baby,' investigators said. On Oct. 17, 2024, at approximately six weeks pregnant, the woman received a sonogram from her doctor who reported a healthy pregnancy with strong vital signs and heartbeat. Later the same day, Banta met the woman at a coffee shop where the victim believes he 'added abortion-inducing pills to her drink without her knowledge or permission.' The following day, the victim reported exhaustion and bleeding so heavy that she went to the emergency room. On Oct. 19, according to sheriff's investigators, the woman lost the pregnancy. During an investigation, the 38-year-old's cellphone was confiscated as evidence. Sheriff's investigators believe that Banta, who works in the DOJ's IT department, remotely accessed the device and performed a reset, 'thereby deleting crucial evidence related to the case.' On June 6, authorities arrested Banta for tampering with physical evidence and a charge from the Texas Rangers for capital murder. The 38-year-old later posted $500,000 bail and was released. The federal IT worker, who is separated from his wife, NBC News reported, and his lawyer are denying the allegations, saying Banta only met the alleged victim four times. U.S. Marshal wrongly detained by ICE agents in lobby of federal building Michael Heiskell, Banta's attorney, told the outlet that his client has cooperated with investigators since last fall when his relationship with the woman ended and that, so far, law enforcement has shown Banta no evidence that the woman was in fact pregnant. 'There were discussions about her being pregnant, but that was never confirmed by her to him. And yes, he did research Plan C,' Heiskell told NBC News, while adding that his client did not put the drug into the woman's drink. The Parker County Sheriff's Department expressed its gratitude to the owners and staff of the coffee shop for their cooperation with the investigation, though they did not say if there was potential video evidence linked to the case. Nearly all abortions are banned in Texas, and abortion-inducing medication cannot be accessed through doctors or pharmacists in the state. Residents can, however, get the drugs through online providers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
11-06-2025
- USA Today
DOJ worker accused of drugging girlfriend to abort her child, officials say
Hear this story An information technology employee for the U.S. Department of Justice has been charged in connection to a capital murder case in Texas after authorities said he slipped abortion drugs into a woman's drink, causing her to miscarry. Justin Banta, 38, was booked into the Parker County Jail on June 6 in connection to the death of a child he was expecting with his then-girlfriend in October 2024. According to authorities, Banta allegedly put an abortion drug in the woman's drink without her knowledge, leading to the loss of their baby. Banta was released on bond that same day, June 6, per online court records. Banta is facing a charge of tampering with physical evidence out of Parker County, as well as a charge out of Tarrant County for capital murder, authorities said in a press release. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's requests for comment on June 11. As of Wednesday afternoon, June 11, information about Banta's legal representation was not immediately clear. Here's what we know so far about the case against Banta. What is the victim saying? The victim was expecting a child with Banta, her then-boyfriend, in September 2024, the Parker County Sheriff's Office said in the press release. When she told Banta she was pregnant, he offered to cover the cost of terminating the pregnancy, the victim told authorities. She told Banta she wanted to keep the baby, authorities said. On Oct. 17, 2024, when she was six weeks pregnant, she went to a doctor's appointment and found out her child had a strong heartbeat and good vital signs. That same day, she met Banta at a coffee shop in Tarrant County, 37 miles west of Dallas. The victim told investigators she thinks Banta put 'Plan C,' commonly known as an abortion drug, into her drink. The next day, she was extremely fatigued and suffered heavy bleeding, so she went to the emergency room. By Oct. 19, she'd lost her baby, 'which she believed was a result of the drugs Banta had previously placed in her drink at the coffee shop without her permission,' the Parker County Sheriff's Office said. Authorities: Suspect and IT worker remotely wiped his phone Authorities interviewed Banta and collected his cell phone as evidence, Parker County authorities said. 'Sheriff's investigators believe Banta, who works at the IT Department of the U.S. Department of Justice, later accessed the phone remotely and performed a 'reset,' thereby deleting crucial evidence related to the case,' the Parker County Sheriff's Office said. The office's Criminal Investigations Division arrested Banta on June 6 in connection to the death of the woman's baby. Authorities referred to the baby's death as a 'capital murder investigation.' According to Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier, Banta's cases are awaiting prosecution. Authier said multiple agencies worked the cases, including the Texas Rangers, Benbrook Police, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Digital Forensic and Technical Services, the U.S. Secret Service, the Regional Organized Crime Information Center, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
DOJ worker faces capital murder charge for allegedly slipping abortion drug into pregnant girlfriend's drink
A Justice Department worker was charged with capital murder for allegedly slipping an abortion drug into his pregnant girlfriend's drink without her consent, forcing her to lose her baby, police said. Justin Banta, a 38-year-old information technology staffer, was taken into custody Friday following an incident that unfolded at a coffee shop in Tarrant County, Texas, last October, according to the Parker County Sheriff's Office. "The victim reported that her boyfriend intentionally added 'Plan C,' (commonly known as the abortion drug) to her drink in order to force her to have an abortion without her knowledge or consent," police said. In addition to a capital murder charge from the Texas Rangers, Banta was booked on one count of tampering with physical evidence. The Justice Department did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Texas Man Arrested For Fatal Beating Of Mother During 'Exorcism': Police The victim told investigators that she and Banta were in a "romantic relationship" in September 2024 when she discovered she was pregnant, the Parker County Sheriff's Office said. Read On The Fox News App "The victim informed Banta of the pregnancy, who proposed to cover the cost [of] an abortion and suggested they order the 'Plan C' online. The victim informed Banta of her desire to keep the baby," police added. "On Oct. 17, 2024, when the victim was approximately six-weeks pregnant, she went for a sonogram, where she learned the baby had a strong heartbeat, displayed good vital signs and was said to be healthy by her doctor." The woman said she then met Banta at a coffee shop later that day. Charging documents said Banta gave the victim a drink he purchased prior to her arrival, KDFW reported, adding that security camera footage showed she consumed the entire beverage. "The next day, the victim stated she began to suffer from extreme fatigue and heavy bleeding, prompting her to visit the emergency room. 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," according to the Parker County Sheriff's Office. Suspect Accused Of Stabbing Texas Man 55 Times Identified By Bloody Shoe Print Police said they interviewed Banta and collected his cell phone as evidence. During the interview, Banta admitted to buying the abortion drugs on his phone and said he knew investigators wanted to talk to him about the woman's miscarriage, according to KDFW. "Sheriff's investigators believe Banta, who works at the IT Department of the U.S. Department of Justice, later accessed the phone remotely and performed a 'reset,' thereby deleting crucial evidence related to the case," the sheriff's office said. Banta was released from the Parker County Jail on Friday after posting a $500,000 bond for the capital murder charge and a $20,000 bond for the evidence-tampering charge, KDFW article source: DOJ worker faces capital murder charge for allegedly slipping abortion drug into pregnant girlfriend's drink
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Evil way Texas man aborted girlfriend's baby without her even knowing
A federal employee from Texas allegedly lured his pregnant girlfriend to a coffee shop under the guise of discussing their unborn child. But when she arrived, the expectant mother was unknowingly dosed with an abortion drug slipped into her drink that killed the baby she wanted to keep, according to authorities. Justin Anthony Banta, 38, was arrested on Friday and charged with capital murder after allegedly spiking his girlfriend's drink with the so-called 'Plan C' pill. The US Bureau of Prisons IT worker is accused of ordering the abortion-inducing pill online after his girlfriend told him she didn't want to terminate the pregnancy in October 2024. The Plan C pill is used to abort a pregnancy of up to 12 weeks, compared to Plan B which is used to block pregnancy within 72 hours of intercourse. The alleged victim was six-weeks pregnant when authorities say she met Banta at a Tarrant County coffee shop. She had just recently had a sonogram and learned the baby had 'a strong heartbeat, displayed good vital signs and was said to be healthy by her doctor,' according to Parker County Sheriff's Office. When she arrived at the Burleson coffee shop to discuss the pregnancy, Banta had allegedly already purchased her a drink. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage at the coffee shop which showed her consuming the drink, according to an affidavit obtained by the Dallas Morning News. 'The next day, the victim stated she began to suffer from extreme fatigue and heavy bleeding, prompting her to visit the emergency room,' authorities 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.' During an interview with police, Banta told them he knew they were looking to discuss the miscarriage with him and also told police he ordered the Plan C pills on his phone, Fox 13 reported. As the investigation into the accusations began, Banta's phone was taken for evidence. But investigator's believed that Banta allegedly performed a 'reset' on the device, erasing 'crucial' evidence related to the case. The Bureau of Prisons Director William Marshall III told the Morning News that he 'will use every authority, every tool and every ounce of influence I have to ensure those individuals are held accountable, and will do so publicly to send a clear message: if you dishonor the uniform, you will be held accountable. Full stop.' Banta was booked into Parker County Jail on Friday on a charged from the PCSO for tampering with physical evidence and a charge from the Texas Rangers for capital murder Banta's lawyer Michael Heiskell has disputed the charges and claimed the accusations were a result of a romantic relationship that 'went awry.' 'He is innocent of these accusations,' he told the Morning News. 'We intend to litigate this court, and at the end of the day we expect him to be exonerated of these charges and lies against him.' Banta was booked into Parker County Jail on Friday on a charged from the PCSO for tampering with physical evidence and a charge from the Texas Rangers for capital murder. He was released the same day on a $500,000 bond for the murder charge and a $20,000 bond for the evidence tampering charge.
Fox News
10-06-2025
- Fox News
DOJ worker faces capital murder charge for allegedly slipping abortion drug into pregnant girlfriend's drink
A Justice Department worker was charged with capital murder for allegedly slipping an abortion drug into his pregnant girlfriend's drink without her consent, forcing her to lose her baby, police said. Justin Banta, a 38-year-old information technology staffer, was taken into custody Friday following an incident that unfolded at a coffee shop in Tarrant County, Texas, last October, according to the Parker County Sheriff's Office. "The victim reported that her boyfriend intentionally added 'Plan C,' (commonly known as the abortion drug) to her drink in order to force her to have an abortion without her knowledge or consent," police said. In addition to a capital murder charge from the Texas Rangers, Banta was booked on one count of tampering with physical evidence. The Justice Department did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. The victim told investigators that she and Banta were in a "romantic relationship" in September 2024 when she discovered she was pregnant, the Parker County Sheriff's Office said. "The victim informed Banta of the pregnancy, who proposed to cover the cost [of] an abortion and suggested they order the 'Plan C' online. The victim informed Banta of her desire to keep the baby," police added. "On Oct. 17, 2024, when the victim was approximately six-weeks pregnant, she went for a sonogram, where she learned the baby had a strong heartbeat, displayed good vital signs and was said to be healthy by her doctor." The woman said she then met Banta at a coffee shop later that day. Charging documents said Banta gave the victim a drink he purchased prior to her arrival, KDFW reported, adding that security camera footage showed she consumed the entire beverage. "The next day, the victim stated she began to suffer from extreme fatigue and heavy bleeding, prompting her to visit the emergency room. 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," according to the Parker County Sheriff's Office. Police said they interviewed Banta and collected his cell phone as evidence. During the interview, Banta admitted to buying the abortion drugs on his phone and said he knew investigators wanted to talk to him about the woman's miscarriage, according to KDFW. "Sheriff's investigators believe Banta, who works at the IT Department of the U.S. Department of Justice, later accessed the phone remotely and performed a 'reset,' thereby deleting crucial evidence related to the case," the sheriff's office said. Banta was released from the Parker County Jail on Friday after posting a $500,000 bond for the capital murder charge and a $20,000 bond for the evidence-tampering charge, KDFW reported.
