An abortion rights supporter from Cooper City, Florida, is heading to prison for her role in a series of spray-paint attacks and threats against crisis pregnancy centers. Gabriella Oropesa, now 25, was found guilty last Thursday by a federal jury for conspiring to intimidate and threaten employees at pro-life centers. Federal prosecutors say these attacks were part of actions carried out by an activist group called Jane’s Revenge.
Oropesa, along with three others—Caleb Freestone, Amber Stewart-Smith, and Annarella Rivera—targeted multiple pregnancy centers in Florida between May and July 2022. These centers provide support and counseling for pregnant women exploring alternatives to abortion. The other three individuals pleaded guilty to their roles in the attacks earlier this year, in June.
According to court records, the group worked at night, wearing masks and dark clothing to hide their identities. They spray-painted threatening messages on the buildings, such as “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U,” and “We are everywhere.” The vandalized facilities included Heartbeat of Miami, a nonprofit in Hialeah that offers help to women facing unplanned pregnancies, and the Archdiocese of Miami’s Respect Life center in Hollywood. Other targets were the Pregnancy Help Medical Clinics in Hialeah and LifeChoice Pregnancy Center in Winter Haven.
Authorities emphasized that federal law protects the rights of these facilities and their workers. U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg made it clear that violence or threats against pregnancy centers will not be tolerated. Kristen Clarke from the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division also underscored the importance of ensuring that people can safely provide or receive reproductive health services, whether that involves abortion or alternatives to it.
Jane’s Revenge has been tied to attacks on pro-life centers across the country. The group, which claims to be made up of multiple small activist networks, has been linked to similar incidents in states like Wisconsin, Colorado, Massachusetts, Washington, and New York. They have described their actions in online posts, encouraging others to take similar steps and leave their own mark.
These incidents haven’t gone unnoticed by lawmakers. In June 2022, Arkansas Senator Thomas Cotton called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Jane’s Revenge as a domestic terrorist group. According to Cotton, there had been over 50 attacks on churches and pro-life organizations in just a few weeks. Jane’s Revenge had even issued a statement at the time calling for “open season” on what they referred to as “anti-choice” groups.
Oropesa now faces up to 10 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Her sentencing is scheduled for March next year.
