Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has delivered a crushing blow to an illegal abortion network, arresting eight more individuals connected to unlicensed clinics that endangered women while violating state pro-life laws.
Network Leader Faces Multiple Felony Charges
Maria Rojas, a 49-year-old midwife who fraudulently presented herself as “Dr. Maria,” stands at the center of this illegal operation. Rojas was initially arrested in March for operating unlicensed clinics and performing illegal abortions across multiple Houston-area locations. She now faces 15 felony counts, including illegal performance of abortion and twelve counts of practicing medicine without a license, representing the first criminal charges brought under Texas’s comprehensive abortion restrictions.
Three suspects now charged in an illegal abortion investigation out of the #Houston area. Maria Rojas & Jose Ley are accused for preforming abortions without med licenses. Rubildo L Matos (last photo) is accused of being paid for the use of his med credentials. pic.twitter.com/0jaOI9P9MJ
— Abigail Dye (@AbigailDyeNews) March 19, 2025
Foreign Nationals Among Those Arrested
The investigation revealed eight additional individuals working under Rojas’s direction, several of whom are foreign nationals. Those indicted include Yaimara Hernandez Alvarez, Alina Valeron Leon, Dalia Coromoto Yanez, Yhonder Lebrun Acosta, Liunet Grandales Estrada, Gerardo Otero Aguero, Sabiel Bosch Gongora, and Jose Manuel Cendan Ley. Each faces charges for practicing medicine without proper licensure, highlighting how this criminal network exploited regulatory gaps while putting vulnerable women at serious medical risk.
Paxton Condemns “Abortion-Loving Radicals”
Attorney General Paxton delivered sharp criticism of the operation, describing it as “a cabal of abortion-loving radicals” running “dens of fake doctors” that endangered the very people they claimed to help. His statement emphasized that such illegal operations “will not be allowed to operate in Texas” and promised accountability for those responsible. Court orders have now prohibited Rojas and her entire network from practicing medicine or performing abortions during the ongoing legal proceedings, effectively shutting down their dangerous operations.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced the indictment and arrest of eight more individuals linked to Houston-area medical clinics owned by Maria Rojas. The clinics are accused of performing illegal abortions and operating without proper medical licenses.
Image: Ken… pic.twitter.com/tlL7f7UE05
— ActionForLife (@actionforlifeFL) October 9, 2025
Severe Penalties Under Texas Pro-Life Laws
The arrests demonstrate the serious consequences of violating Texas’s robust pro-life legislation. Under state law, unlawful performance of an abortion constitutes a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Additionally, the Texas Human Life Protection Act of 2021 empowers the attorney general to pursue civil penalties of at least $100,000 per violation. These substantial penalties reflect Texas’s commitment to protecting innocent life and ensuring that only properly licensed medical professionals provide healthcare services to women.