Justin Anthony Banta, 38 (Source: Parker County Sheriff’s Office)
PARKER COUNTY, Texas – A North Texas man who works for the U.S. Department of Justice has been arrested and charged with capital murder after authorities said he secretly gave his pregnant girlfriend an abortion-inducing drug, causing the death of her six-week-old fetus.
Justin Anthony Banta, 38, was arrested Friday following a months-long investigation, according to the Parker County Sheriff’s Office. He also faces a charge of tampering with physical evidence.
Forced Abortion Allegations
Timeline:
In a news release, Sheriff Russ Authier said the investigation began in September 2024, when the victim reported the incident. She told investigators that after she became pregnant, Banta, her then-boyfriend, suggested she have an abortion. When she refused, expressing her desire to keep the baby, Banta allegedly ordered an abortion-inducing drug, referred to by authorities as “Plan C,” online.
According to the victim, she had a sonogram on Oct. 17, 2024, which confirmed the fetus was healthy with a strong heartbeat. Later that day, she met Banta at a coffee shop in Tarrant County. The victim later told investigators she suspected Banta had slipped the pills into her drink during that meeting.
The following day, she began experiencing extreme fatigue and heavy bleeding, prompting a visit to an emergency room. She lost the fetus on Oct. 19, 2024, which she believed was a direct result of the drugs.
During the investigation, authorities collected Banta’s cell phone as evidence. Investigators believe Banta, who works in the IT Department of the U.S. Department of Justice, remotely accessed the phone and performed a factory reset, deleting crucial evidence.
Banta was booked into the Parker County Jail on Friday. The tampering with evidence charge was filed by the Parker County Sheriff’s Office. The capital murder charge was filed by the Texas Rangers in Tarrant County, where the alleged poisoning occurred.
Banta was released on Friday after posting a $500,000 bond for the capital murder charge and a $20,000 bond for the tampering with evidence charge.
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.
Sheriff Authier says 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 FBI assisted in the case.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Parker County Sheriff’s Office and the Parker County Jail.
