Bevelyn Beatty Williams, a 33-year-old pro-life activist, has been sentenced to over three years in jail by a Manhattan federal court for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Williams was convicted of interfering with individuals seeking to obtain and provide abortions.
The incident in question occurred outside an abortion clinic where Williams had been preaching the Gospel. According to the Department of Justice, Williams blocked a clinic worker from entering the facility and injured another worker’s hand.
In a statement posted on her fundraising page, Williams said she was being persecuted for her Christian stance on life and suggested that the court’s decision was an attempt to make an example out of her. Williams, who has a two-year-old daughter, plans to appeal the decision.
Williams’ path to pro-life activism followed a troubled youth marked by three abortions and a conviction for money laundering. After her release, she co-founded At Well Ministries, engaging in street and homeless ministries before transitioning to pro-life activism.
The FACE Act, under which Williams was sentenced, has also been used to sentence several other pro-life activists in recent years, including a Catholic priest and several elderly individuals.
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