A Manhattan federal court has sentenced Bevelyn Beatty Williams, a 33-year-old pro-life activist, to three years and five months in prison for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The sentencing took place on July 24.
Williams was found guilty of “interference, including by threats and force, with individuals seeking to obtain and provide” abortions, according to the Department of Justice. The court’s decision follows allegations that Williams, while preaching outside an abortion clinic, injured a clinic worker’s hand and obstructed the entrance.
In a statement posted on her fundraising page, Williams expressed distress over the verdict, claiming she was persecuted for her Christian beliefs regarding life. “This is devastating news,” Williams wrote. “Not only is this bond extensive for the accused crime, but she made it very clear in the courtroom that she was going to make an example out of me.”
The Department of Justice’s press release described how Williams leaned against the clinic door, effectively blocking a worker from entering and trapping another worker’s hand inside the door. Williams also reportedly threatened clinic staff, stating in a social media livestream that she intended to “terrorize this place” and warned, “we’re gonna terrorize you so good, your business is gonna be over mama.”
Williams, a mother of a 2-year-old daughter, has announced her intention to appeal the decision. She criticized the court for disregarding her role as a young mother and expressed frustration over being separated from her daughter for the length of her sentence. “The concern of being a young mother, and a stay-at-home mother, was completely disregarded,” she said. “I have 60 days to appeal my case and fight for my freedom and I need as much help as I can get!”
Born in Staten Island, New York, Williams had a troubled past, including three abortions and a period of substance abuse following her high school dropout. After a stint in prison for money laundering, she experienced a conversion and founded At Well Ministries, focusing on street and homeless ministry before turning to pro-life activism.
Williams joins a growing list of pro-life activists who have faced sentencing under the FACE Act, which has recently seen convictions for several elderly individuals and a Catholic priest.
By: Montana Newsroom staff
