A Florida couple has been indicted on charges of vandalizing several pro-life centers by spray painting their buildings with pro-abortion messages and blatant threats.
The distressing vandalism took place soon after the Supreme Court issued its Dobbs decision ending federal abortion rights.
Pro-life centers across the country have seen an uptick in vandalism, other threats, and outright attacks by those angry that abortion rights were curtailed after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Court.
A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office said that 27-year-old Caleb Freestone and 23-year-old Amber Smith-Stewart were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiring with others to vandalize the Life Choice Pregnancy Center in Winter Haven, Florida, in June.
They are accused of spray-painting threats on the center, including the messages, “If abortions aren’t safe then niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U,” and “We are everywhere.”
The indictment says they targeted other centers in Hollywood and Hialeah as well.
Booking photos of the pair were posted to social media by Chuck Ross of the Washington Free Beacon.
Several key Republicans demanded in a letter to the Department of Justice back in June that the DOJ respond to threats and vandalism against pro-life centers. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said in the letter that U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland should resign over the inaction of his Justice Department against domestic terror threats from pro-abortion and so-called “abortion activists.”
Employees of Winter Haven center, aided by pro-life volunteers from a local church, quickly responded to the vandalism at the time by painting over the vandalism in about three hours.
“Our pastor actually said, ‘you know what, we’re gonna go over there and serve, we’re gonna go share the love of God, and for some reason, if it happens again, we’ll go back and paint it again,'” said Jason Hughes of the Winter Haven Worship Center.
Freestone and Smith-Stewart face 12 years in prison and fines of up to $350,000 each if they are convicted of the crimes.