Gabriella Oropesa, a resident of Cooper City, Florida, was convicted Thursday for her involvement in a conspiracy to threaten, intimidate, and vandalize pro-life pregnancy help centers, violating the rights of their employees and patients under federal law.
The conviction stems from Oropesa’s participation in targeted attacks alongside co-conspirators Caleb Freestone, Amber Stewart-Smith, and Annarella Rivera, who previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
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The group targeted reproductive health facilities that provided alternatives to abortion, spray-painting threatening messages to intimidate employees and patients.
Between May 2022 and July 2022, the group carried out a series of nighttime attacks on pregnancy help centers in Florida. Wearing masks and dark clothing to conceal their identities, they vandalized the facilities with threatening graffiti, including messages such as:
- “If abortions aren’t safe than [sic] neither are you”
- “YOUR TIME IS UP!!”
- “WE’RE COMING for U”
- “We are everywhere”
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized the importance of protecting reproductive health care providers.
“The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act is clear: no one should have to face threats and intimidation just for doing their job,” Clarke said. “The Justice Department will continue to ensure access to the full spectrum of reproductive health services afforded to the public, whether those services include abortion or counseling on alternatives to abortion.”
U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida echoed this sentiment. “Threats of violence against pregnancy resource centers or those exercising their rights to care will not be tolerated,” Handberg stated.
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Oropesa faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 19, 2025, where a federal district court judge will determine her sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI Tampa Field Office with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Winter Haven, Hialeah, and Hollywood Police Departments.
The prosecution is being led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about incidents of violence, threats, or obstruction targeting reproductive health services or facilities to report the information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov.
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