A doctor from New York has been indicted by a Louisiana grand jury for allegedly mailing abortion pills to a teenager. This marks a potential first in criminal charges against a provider for prescribing abortion medication across state lines.

Dr. Margaret Carpenter faces felony charges for criminal abortion in Louisiana, a state with one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. The indictment also includes charges against the teen’s mother.

New York Doctor Indicted in Louisiana for Prescribing Abortion Pills Online

This case marks the first known criminal indictment of a doctor accused of prescribing and shipping abortion pills across state lines since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Dr. Carpenter is also facing legal action in Texas, where the attorney general sued her in December for similar allegations. However, that case remains a civil lawsuit rather than a criminal prosecution.

Louisiana's Crackdown on Abortion Medication

Louisiana has enforced a near-total abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. The state was also the first in the country to classify abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol as “controlled dangerous substances.” While still legal for medical use, accessing them now requires extra regulatory steps. Under this law, possessing these pills without a prescription is punishable by up to five years in prison.

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Assistant District Attorney Tony Clayton stated that Dr. Carpenter allegedly mailed the pills to the teenager’s mother, who then gave them to her daughter.

Under the law, anyone knowingly possessing these drugs without a valid prescription could face:
✔️ Fines up to $5,000
✔️ 1 to 5 years in prison

While pregnant women are exempt from prosecution for self-managed abortions, doctors convicted of performing an illegal abortion face:
✔️ Up to 15 years in prison
✔️ $200,000 in fines
✔️ Loss of medical license

New York Governor Vows to Shield Doctor from Extradition

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has strongly condemned the charges, vowing that the state will not comply with any extradition request from Louisiana.

“I am proud to say that I will never, under any circumstances, turn this doctor over to the State of Louisiana under any extradition request,” Hochul stated in a video message.

New York Attorney General Letitia James echoed Hochul’s stance, calling the charges a "cowardly attempt to weaponize the law against out-of-state providers."

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New York has a shield law designed to protect doctors who prescribe and mail abortion pills to patients in states where abortion is banned. Dr. Carpenter’s indictment could test New York’s abortion shield laws, which are designed to protect providers offering telehealth abortion services to patients in restrictive states.

16 Of New York State's Most Wanted Criminals- February 2025

Below are individuals wanted by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision's (DOCCS) Office of Special Investigations who have been designated as its Most Wanted Fugitives. They should be considered armed and dangerous. This list is current as of 2/01/2025:

NEVER attempt to apprehend a fugitive yourself. If you have information on the location of any of these fugitives, you can contact OSI 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to report it. All leads and tips are treated as confidential information.

If an immediate response is necessary, such as you see the wanted person at a location, please call “911” and report it to the police.

Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler

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