Defendant Charged with Blocking Access to Planned Parenthood Health Center on Long Island | USAO-EDNY

Previously these days, in federal court docket in Central Islip, a criminal grievance was unsealed charging Christopher Moscinski with violating the Flexibility of Accessibility to Clinic Entrances Act (the “FACE Act”) for blocking accessibility to a Planned Parenthood of Increased New York overall health middle in Hempstead, New York that gives reproductive overall health solutions.  Moscinski was arrested now and will make his original court visual appeal this afternoon ahead of United States Magistrate Decide Steven I. Locke.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Jap District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Cost, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Area Business office (FBI), introduced the arrest and demand.

“The defendant attempted to protect against gals from accessing their lawful ideal to very important reproductive and being pregnant solutions,” mentioned United States Legal professional Peace.  “This Business office will enforce federal law to shield clinics and team that present reproductive well being solutions when safeguarding the legal rights of their clients.  I commend the community police, firefighters and bystanders who came to the overall health center’s aid to guarantee that it could continue on serving the community.”

“As alleged, the defendant made repeated tries to disrupt and deny entry to a Prepared Parenthood facility in violation of the Confront act.  These attempts interfered with the community’s ability to search for reproductive and pregnancy well being expert services, and today’s action need to provide as a reminder of the FBI’s motivation to protecting the civil rights of all,” mentioned FBI Assistant Director-in-Cost Driscoll.

As alleged in the complaint, at 6:22 a.m. on July 7, 2022, Moscinski, a Franciscan friar, arrived at the health and fitness middle putting on civilian garb.  He mounted quite a few padlocks and bicycle locks to the gated entrance of the wellbeing heart, rendering the entrance impassable.  Some of the locks had glue poured into them.  After police and fire division personnel arrived at the health heart and slash the padlocks, Moscinski returned to the scene putting on a religious gown, and laid his overall body in front of the gate, blocking cars from coming into the overall health center’s parking ton right until he was arrested by officers from the Hempstead Police Office.    

The rates in the grievance are allegations, and the defendant is presumed harmless unless of course and till established guilty.

In 1994, Congress handed the Encounter Act in reaction to an improve in violence toward patients and providers of reproductive health and fitness expert services.  The Face Act prohibits violent, threatening, detrimental and obstructive conduct meant to injure, intimidate or interfere with an individual’s proper to find, acquire or offer reproductive health services.  Initial-time convictions of the Confront Act are misdemeanor violations punishable by up to just one calendar year in federal jail.  Subsequent convictions are a felony.

Suspected violations of the Experience Act can be noted to the FBI by calling 1-800-225-5324 (1-800-Connect with-FBI) or by traveling to recommendations.fbi.gov.  If you or an individual you know is in risk, phone 911.

The government’s circumstance is becoming dealt with by the Office’s Normal Crimes and Civil Legal rights Sections.  Assistant United States Lawyers Sophia Suarez and Lauren Bowman are prosecuting the scenario.

The Defendant:

CHRISTOPHER MOSCINSKI (also identified as “Fr. Fidelis Moscinski”)
Age:  52
Bronx, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-1052 (SIL)