Department of Justice employee Justin Banta secretly slipped abortion drugs into his pregnant girlfriend’s drink at a Texas coffee shop, causing her to miscarriage their 6-week-old baby against her wishes, according to police who’ve charged him with capital murder.
Key Takeaways
- DOJ IT employee Justin Banta faces capital murder charges for allegedly spiking his girlfriend’s drink with abortion drugs after she refused his request to terminate the pregnancy.
- Surveillance footage captured Banta placing an unknown substance into the victim’s drink at a coffee shop, just days before she experienced extreme bleeding and miscarried.
- Banta has been additionally charged with tampering with evidence after allegedly remotely wiping data from his phone during the investigation.
- The victim had expressed her desire to keep the baby and had a sonogram showing a healthy pregnancy just days before the incident.
- Banta posted bond ($500,000 for murder charge, $20,000 for evidence tampering) and has been released while awaiting trial.
Justice Department Employee’s Deadly Deception
In a shocking case that highlights the dangerous intersection of personal autonomy and criminal intent, Federal Bureau of Prisons IT expert Justin Banta stands accused of deliberately causing the death of his unborn child. According to police reports, Banta secretly administered abortion-inducing medication to his girlfriend without her knowledge or consent after she refused his suggestions to terminate the pregnancy. The incident occurred in October 2024 at a coffee shop in Tarrant County, Texas, where Banta allegedly tampered with a drink he purchased for his girlfriend.
The victim, whose identity has been protected, had informed Banta of her pregnancy in September 2024. Despite his offers to cover the cost of an abortion and suggestions to order “Plan C” medication online, she clearly expressed her desire to keep the baby. On October 17, 2024, she had a sonogram confirming a healthy pregnancy at six weeks. The very next day, after consuming the drink Banta provided at the coffee shop, she began experiencing extreme fatigue and heavy bleeding, ultimately miscarrying on October 19.
DOJ worker faces capital murder charge for allegedly slipping abortion drug into pregnant girlfriend's drink https://t.co/qKfnFfRpFn
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 10, 2025
Evidence Against the DOJ Employee
Investigators have assembled a troubling collection of evidence against Banta. Surveillance footage from the coffee shop shows him placing an unknown substance into the victim’s drink. Additionally, text messages between Banta and his wife reveal discussions about the pregnancy and efforts to persuade the victim to have an abortion. Law enforcement reports indicate Banta admitted to purchasing abortion drugs and was aware of the investigation into the miscarriage, suggesting knowledge of his actions and their consequences.
“The victim reported that her boyfriend intentionally added ‘Plan C’ (commonly known as the abortion drug) to her drink to force her to have an abortion without her knowledge or consent,” police stated in their report.
Authorities also believe Banta attempted to cover his tracks by remotely accessing and wiping data from his cell phone after providing it to investigators. This alleged tampering with evidence forms the basis for an additional criminal charge. The Texas Ranger investigation noted there are no existing tests for detecting the presence of abortion drugs in the woman’s blood, urine, or fetal remains, which may present challenges for prosecutors as the case moves forward.
Legal Defense and Current Status
Banta’s attorney, Michael Heiskell, has vigorously disputed the allegations against his client. He characterized the affidavit in the case as a “hodgepodge jumbled mess of falsehoods and innuendo.” The defense appears to be positioning Banta as wrongfully accused, with Heiskell stating that his client’s actions and statements have been taken out of context to paint him as a “cold-hearted killer,” adding that “the opposite is true.”
“Actions and statements are taken out of context to make it appear that Justin is a cold-hearted killer. The opposite is true,” Michael Heiskell, Banta’s attorney, stated in his defense of his client.
After his arrest, Banta was booked into jail but posted bond the same day. Court records indicate he was released on a $500,000 bond for the capital murder charge and a $20,000 bond for the evidence-tampering charge. The case has drawn national attention not only because of the serious nature of the charges but also due to Banta’s employment with the Department of Justice. Before his IT role with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Banta reportedly worked as a prison guard, adding another layer of concern about someone in a position of public trust being accused of such a heinous crime.
