Texas Justice Department Employee Charged with Capital Murder for Allegedly Spiking Pregnant Girlfriend’s Drink with Abortion Drug

Justin Anthony Banta, 38, was arrested on Friday after a months-long investigation by sheriffs in Parker County

A Justice Department employee in North Texas is facing capital murder and evidence tampering charges after allegedly slipping abortion drugs into his pregnant girlfriend’s drink, resulting in the loss of her six-week-old fetus.

Justin Anthony Banta, 38, an I.T. worker for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, was arrested Friday following a months-long investigation by the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, west of Fort Worth. Banta’s arrest stems from an incident last October, when his then-girlfriend accused him of secretly crushing abortion pills into a drink he gave her at a coffee shop in Burleson. The woman had refused Banta’s suggestion to terminate her pregnancy, and two days later, she reportedly miscarried.

According to arrest records, the couple had only been dating for about a month when the woman discovered she was pregnant in September 2024. Authorities said Banta encouraged her to have an abortion, even purchasing pills online, which she rejected. They met again on October 17 at the coffee shop, where Banta allegedly handed her a pre-purchased drink. The following day, she began experiencing extreme fatigue and heavy bleeding. She was later treated in an emergency room and reported that she lost her baby on October 19.

Detectives said the woman believed the miscarriage was caused by drugs placed in her drink without her knowledge. She notified law enforcement, triggering an investigation. During questioning, Banta initially surrendered his phone to police, but investigators later discovered suspicious digital activity, indicating a possible remote tampering of data. Though no direct command for a remote wipe was found, forensic analysis raised red flags about the integrity of the phone’s contents.

Banta is charged with capital murder of an unborn child, as well as tampering with physical evidence. If convicted, he could face the death penalty under Texas law. He was released Friday after posting a combined bond of $520,000.

Bureau of Prisons Director William Marshall III condemned the allegations, stating, “If you dishonor the uniform, you will be held accountable. Full stop.”

Banta’s attorney, Michael Heiskell, denied the charges, framing the case as the fallout of a failed romantic relationship. “He is innocent of these accusations,” Heiskell said. “We intend to litigate this in court, and at the end of the day we expect him to be exonerated of these charges and lies against him.”

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons said the agency investigates all allegations of criminal conduct but declined further comment on the case.