A Department of Justice (DOJ) employee in Texas is accused of spiking his pregnant girlfriend’s drink with abortion pills and killing his unborn child, according to officials.
Justin Anthony Banta, 38, is facing charges for capital murder, as well as tampering with physical evidence, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) announced Monday. Banta was arrested on June 6 after a months-long investigation.
A woman who was in a romantic relationship with Banta told law enforcement he intentionally added Plan C, an abortion drug, to her drink at a coffee shop in October 2024 to induce an abortion without her knowledge or consent, according to the sheriff’s office.
The woman said she discovered she was pregnant in September of that year and told Banta. Banta allegedly responded by proposing to cover the cost of an abortion and suggested they order abortion pills online, according to the sheriff’s office. The woman told Banta she wanted to keep the baby.
On October 17, Banta’s then-girlfriend went for a sonogram at about six weeks of gestation and “learned the baby had a strong heartbeat, displayed good vital signs, and was said to be healthy by her doctor,” the sheriff’s office said.
RELATED ARTICLE: Texas Man Charged with Slipping Abortion Drug into Pregnant Wife’s Drinks
Later that same day, she met Banta at a coffee shop in Tarrant County. She told law enforcement she believes Banta secretly added abortion pills to her drink while they were there.
“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 sheriff’s office.
Investigators interviewed Banta and subsequently collected his cell phone as evidence. According to the sheriff’s office, investigators believe Banta, who works at the IT Department for the DOJ, “later accessed the phone remotely and performed a ‘reset,’ thereby deleting crucial evidence related to the case.”
“Sheriff’s investigators obtained a felony arrest warrant for Banta, who was booked into the Parker County Jail Friday on a charge from the PCSO for tampering with physical evidence and a charge from the Texas Rangers for capital murder, which has been filed in Tarrant County,” according to the press release. “Sheriff Authier said the cases against Banta remain active and are awaiting prosecution. Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details pertaining to this case are being disclosed to the public.”
The sheriff’s office said the owners and staff of the coffee shop are cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation. The Parker County Sheriff’s Office, 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 (ROCIC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) are working together on the investigation.
The DOJ did not respond to request for comment by time of publication.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.
