Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – A 48-year-old man from Kintnersville, Pennsylvania, has been charged with assaulting a reproductive health care clinic escort in the city. Mark Houck, 48, is accused of using force with the intent to injure, intimidate, and interfere with the victim because he was a volunteer reproductive health care provider.
According to court documents, the two-count indictment charges Houck with a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to use force with the intent to injure, intimidate, and interfere with anyone because that person is a provider of reproductive health care.
The charges stem from two separate incidents on October 13, 2021, where Houck allegedly assaulted the victim, identified in the indictment as "B.L.," because B.L. was a volunteer escort at the reproductive health care clinic.
If convicted of the offenses, Houck faces up to a maximum of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $350,000.
The FBI Philadelphia Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Eve for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Houck’s case highlights the ongoing tensions and conflicts surrounding reproductive health care clinics and providers in the United States.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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