Infamous Florida abortionist puts most of his former facilities up for sale

Infamous abortion chain owner James Scott Pendergraft appears to be liquidating the majority of his former abortion facility buildings in Florida where he operated for many years. The news has been welcomed as a victory for pro-life advocates in the state who were a regular presence outside many of the locations.

While Pendergraft’s long history of lawsuits and botched abortions never caused his abortion empire to crumble, he was eventually arrested on multiple drug charges. 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. According to Ocala.com, Pendergraft “was arrested and charged with six counts of possession of a controlled substance; one count each of possession of marijuana, narcotics and prescription medicine; and one count of manufacturing or possessing a controlled substance.”

In 1999, Pendergraft told the Orlando Sentinel, “… We don’t call fetuses in utero pre-born babies. They are fetuses. Nor do I look at a fetus as a human being. It is alive, but it is not a human being, and it does not have rights. But the mother is a human being, and she does have rights.”

Below is a timeline of events involving Pendergraft:

• In 2011, Pendergraft lost a lawsuit after a baby survived a late-term abortion attempt which resulted in severe disabilities. The woman was awarded $36 million in damages.
• In 2012, Operation Rescue (OR) reported that Pendergraft “was cited for failing to pay over $121,000 in fines to the Florida Department of Health related to five suspensions of his medical license.”
• In June 2013, police raided Pendergraft’s Orlando Women’s Center in an attempt to collect on the lawsuit, according to OR.
• In May of 2015, as previously stated, Pendergraft was arrested on multiple drug charges as well as illegally committing abortions throughout South Carolina.
• In 2016, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration filed administrative complaints against Pendergraft’s abortion facilities: EPOC Clinic LLC in Orlando, Orlando Women’s Center LLC, Ocala Women’s Center LLC and Fort Lauderdale Women’s Center LLC.
• In October of 2017, Pendergraft pleaded guilty to previously mentioned arrest charges.
• In 2018, as a result of the arrest, the state revoked Pendergraft’s medical license, and it remains revoked to this day.

At one time Pendergraft owned five abortion facilities across the state under multiple names. Live Action News has detailed each one below:

EPOC Clinic Orlando: (609 Virginia Drive Orlando, Florida 32803)

• The state Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA), which licenses abortion facilities, shows the facility’s license was revoked in March of 2018 and it is now closed.
• Live Action News previously reported that in 2018, the EPOC Center building had been converted to a medicinal marijuana business.
• In 2020, the website Loopnet.com shows the property was listed for sale in March for nearly $1.4 million.
• Loopnet.com also contains a disturbing video tour of the former abortion business.

Years ago, Baby Rowan was born-alive after a late-term abortion at the EPOC facility. A copy of the 911 call placed at the time can be heard below. The caller, a friend of the woman, can be heard telling operators, “They want the baby to die…. They were wanting her to leave it in the toilet and just let it die.”

 

Ocala Abortion Clinic (108 NW Pine Avenue Ocala, FL 34475)

• ACHA shows this facility’s license was revoked in March of 2018, with 2015 as the last date of inspection.
• According to media reports, the facility was closed in 2015.
• In 2016, the building was sold to Interfaith Emergency Services.

Women’s Center of Hyde Park/Abortion Clinic Tampa (502 South Magnolia Avenue Tampa, Florida 33606)

• ACHA shows a current license good through 2021, last inspected in 2019.
• Also in 2019, the state issued a fine of $200 for failing to file a timely report of abortions as required by law.
• The property is listed for sale at over $1 million at Loopnet.com.

Fort Lauderdale Women’s Center (2001 W. Oakland Park Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311)

• ACHA shows this facility license was revoked in 2017 and is currently closed.
• In March of 2020, a for sale listing of $1.5 million was created on Loopnet.com.

While Pendergraft seems to be liquidating buildings, he may be pivoting towards chemical abortions. In a newly created blog, Pendergraft advertises the abortion pill in multiple cities across the state. Despite the FDA limiting approval of the abortion pill through ten weeks of pregnancy, on one part of his website, Pendergraft advertises the dangerous pill regimen from three to 24 weeks. However, on a page dedicated to the abortion pill, Pendergraft writes, “We have been offering patients from 3 to 14 weeks… for more than 12 years.” Pendergraft charges from $695 to $1,000 for abortions between 3 to 12 weeks, and $950 to $2,000 for 13- to 14-week abortions.

Pendergraft’s busy late-term abortion facility, the Center of Orlando for Women, is still operational. That location was formerly named “Orlando Women’s Center, Abortion Clinic Orlando” and ACHA shows the license under OWC has been revoked as of March of 2018. It also shows the facility as “closed” and a last inspection date in 2017. But ACHA shows that the new name, “Center of Orlando for Women,” has a current license good through August of 2021.

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