Pro-life Rescuers Currently Incarcerated

The rescuers below are in prison for peacefully acting on their convictions to save innocent lives. They are currently in federal prison for their efforts to save babies just like these being led to the slaughter.

In accordance with the Scriptures below, Operation Rescue encourages you to pray for these pro-life heroes and send them notes of encouragement.

“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3).

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS:

• Typewritten letters are preferred. If you handwrite your letter(s), please write neatly to ensure it will be delivered.
• Only white envelopes with an affixed stamp will be delivered.
• No photos/images are allowed.
• No printed news articles are allowed. But you may copy and paste the text of an article, etc., into a typed letter.

Please pray a special prayer for Idoni who suffered a stroke, was stabilized in late April/early May and returned to jail to await sentencing. As of October 3, Idoni was in lockdown 23 hours a day.

South Carolina: Pro-Lifer Convicted on FACE Charges

In March 2024, Steven Clark Lefemine was convicted of violating the FACE Act after blocking the entrance of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Columbia, South Carolina.

According to a report by Live Action: “Lefemine was originally arrested by local authorities on a trespassing charge. He was tried and convicted of that charge in Columbia earlier this year, and received a $465 fine. However, federal authorities indicted Lefemine on additional FACE Act charges in February of last year.”

Lefemine was sentenced to 60 days in prison and fined $1,000.

Nashville: Six Convicted with No Jail, One Received 6 Months Prison Time:

On January 30, 2024, six pro-lifers were convicted of violating the FACE Act and Civil Rights Conspiracy after a rescue outside of a Nashville, Tennessee, abortion clinic in 2021. Four of the six received their sentences on July 2-3, 2024. Only one received prison time (Cal Zastro listed above). The status of the remaining five are shown below:

• Coleman Boyd: Sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
• Dennis Green: Six months house arrest and three years probation.
• Heather Idoni (referenced above and below): Still awaiting sentencing.
• Paul Vaughn: Sentenced to six months of house arrest and three years of supervised probation, along with simple court costs of $125.

On March 2, 2024, a jury convicted four others (listed below) for their role in the same prayerful protest. They were found guilty of violating the FACE Act. On July 30, they were given time served (which covers the 21 months of pre-trial probation), followed by 90 days of home detention, followed by 3 years of probation.

• Eva Edyl: September 26, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffery S. Frensley sentenced 89-year old Edl to an additional three years probation.
• Paul Place
• Eva Zastrow
• James Zastrow

Detroit: Eight found Guilty on All Charges:

On August 21, 2024, a Michigan federal court found eight pro-lifers guilty of violating the FACE Act and conspiracy against rights for their efforts to save babies at Northland Family Planning abortion clinic in Sterling Heights, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Leitman said he would consider a request to dismiss the conspiracy charge, by far, the heftier charge, before the sentencing.

• Joel Curry
• Caroline Davis
• Eva Edl
• Chester Gallagher
• Heather Idoni (image above)
• Justin Phillip
• Calvin Zastrow (image above)
• Eva Zastrow 

Edl and Idoni were also convicted of a separate access charge at a clinic in Saginaw, Michigan.