Florida abortion clinic may close after owner’s arrest and criminal charges

The State of Florida is threatening to close an abortion clinic owned by a notorious late term abortion provider who was recently arrested on drug charges in another state. James Scott Pendergraft, who operates 5 abortion clinics in the state, was arrested in October of 2015 for possession of drugs after being stopped for speeding in South Carolina. As Live Action News previously reported, at the time of his arrest, Pendergraft, was also found to have in his possession surgical implements that were covered in blood and human tissue from abortions he had illegally performed throughout South Carolina. Despite having his medical license revoked at the time, Pendergraft was only charged with being in the possession of illegal narcotics.

Spartanburg County filed the criminal charges against Pendergraft and made his first court appearance in December of last year.

In January 2016, The Agency for Health Car Administration (AHCA), which licenses abortion clinics in the sunshine state, filed an action to revoke Pendergraft’s license to operate the Orlando Women’s Center abortion clinic located at Lucerne Terrace. AHCA’s complaint states that, “with his arrest and criminal charges, Mr. Pendergraft is disqualified and is no longer in compliance with Florida law.”

“It all has to do with drug charges out of South Carolina but unfortunately nothing to do with any of the other things he has done in the state,” Michele Herzog, spokesperson of Pro-life Action Ministries who side walk counsels in front of Pendergraft’s Orlando abortion facilities.

Pendergraft has had his medical license suspended several times by the state’s medical board before it was eventually revoked indefinitely. In 2011, Pendergraft lost a lawsuit after the baby survived a late term abortion attempt. The woman was awarded $36 million in damages to take care of the child who is now severely disabled.

Herzog pointed out that Pendergraft aggressively advertises his late term abortion clinics nationwide, offering women abortion discounts to get them to his door as well appointments on Sunday. But, despite his persistence, Herzog is optimistic that his abortion clinics will eventually be shut down. She said that are a number of faithful Christians are praying in front of Pendergraft’s abortion clinics and reaching out to the women he profits off of.

PRO-LIFERS PRAY OUTSIDE FLORIDA ABORTION CLINICS

All 5 Pendergraft abortion facilities are covered in prayer Herzog said noting that she organizes the outreach outside EPOC abortion clinic in Orlando where other faithful pro-lifers join her. Pro-lifer and evangelist John Barros and several others ministers outside Orlando Women’s Center (OWS), where pro-lifers have witnessed women taken from the clinic by ambulances. But, they often speak to women who change their mind and choose to keep their baby.

“Through Barros’ faithful ministry many babies are alive today,” Herzog said.

Barros responded to news that OWS might be closed by the state, telling WFTV, “God uses different things in different ways and it usually is in different ways than we could ever have imagined.”

In Ft. Lauderdale, John and Tewannah Amen as well as members of Broward County Right to Life pray and sidewalk counsel outside the Ft. Lauderdale Women’s Center. Pendergraft’s Tampa and Ocala abortion facilities are also covered with prayer and pro-life sidewalk counselors on a regular basis.

“This abortion empire needs to come to an end,” Herzog said.

Pro-lifers in Florida have watched God close a number of clinics in the state including two already this year. WomanCare in Orlando and Planned Parenthood of Winter Haven closed their doors after years of prayer and hard work from the activists. Herzog said that WomanCare abortion clinic was evicted the end of January just months after she and a group of prayer warriors walked inside the clinic on Good Friday 2015 and prayed for God to close the clinic permanently. Although staff was in the building, no one knew the pro-lifers were in the waiting room until they left.

The Winter Haven Planned Parenthood, which just closed their doors, was also covered in prayer on a regular basis. Herzog said that pro-lifer Scott Newman along with members of Sidewalk Advocates for Life, who originally reported the closing, faithfully prayed and sidewalk counseled in front of that abortion facility as well.