Abortion Center in California Closed as Owner Faces Criminal Charges

From http://lifenews.com/state3356.html

Abortion Center in California Closed as Owner Faces Criminal Charges
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 7, 2008


San Diego, CA (LifeNews.com) -- An abortion center near San Diego, California has closed as the owners are facing charges of 10 felony counts of practicing medicine without a license and grand theft. Bertha Bugarin and her sister Raquel have pleaded not guilty to doing abortions despite not holding a medical license.
Bugarin made a court appearance on Wednesday in San Diego District Court and her arraignment was postponed until July 10.
According to the local Fox News television station, the Chula Vista office of Clinica Medica Para La Mujer De Hoy, the abortion center the Bugarins own, has been closed by state officials.
Bugarin was arrested after nine women came forward to report that they had received abortions from her despite the fact she has no medical back ground and it not a physician licensed by the state. Some women reported complications from the abortions afterwards.
In addition to the Chula Vista abortion center Bugarin operated four other abortion businesses in Los Angeles County, where she faces 18 additional counts of practicing medicine without a license.

According to the pro-life group Operation Rescue, which has closely monitored the situation, abortion practitioner Nolan Jones, who has his own problems with state medical authorities with numerous cases of Medical Board disciplinary action for botched abortions, is running them.
Organization spokeswoman Cheryl Sullenger told LifeNews.com that Jones filed for bankruptcy for substantial amounts of debt in 2003 and has bounced around several southern California abortion centers moving to new ones when others close for medical problems or other reasons.
"We are relieved that the clinic has closed, but it shouldn't have taken eight years to do it," said Sullenger about the time it took for officials to go after the Bugarins. "We pray that Ms. Bugarin will be swiftly brought to justice and that all of her abortion mills would permanently close."
Prosecutors said Bugarin's actions put women at risk and cited one case involving a woman who had to be rushed to the hospital because of a life-threatening medical condition
The pair face up to nine years in prison if convicted on all charges.