A man who was the political director for Texas Right to Life has been arrested and charged for soliciting a minor online, VICE News reports.
Lucas “Luke” Bowen, 33, was charged with the second-degree felony on August 3. According to a complaint file obtained by The Courier of Montgomery County, Bowen allegedly “knowingly” solicited a minor online “with the intent” of engaging “in sexual contact or sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse.”
From VICE News:
Texas Right to Life is one of the most powerful anti-abortion groups in a state known for setting the anti-abortion agenda for the rest of the nation. As part of his work for the organization, Bowen had appeared on stage representing Texas Right to Life at a 2020 Texas Youth Summit panel, spoke to Politico in 2018, and served as its campaign treasurer, according to a Texas campaign finance report filed last month.
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Bowen’s employment with Texas Right to Life was terminated on Aug. 3, Schwartz, a spokesperson for the group, told VICE News over email. Schwartz did not immediately respond to questions about whether Bowen’s arrest was related to his termination or the changes to Texas Right to Life’s website.
“He was not involved with minors in our youth programs,” Schwartz said.
Bowen’s name appears to have been scrubbed from Texas Right to Life’s online channels. A press release claiming a Texas Right to Life employee named Kim Schwartz “saved” a woman from getting an abortion, mentioned that Bowen stayed behind with Schwartz to ensure she “wasn’t left alone in the office.” As VICE News points out, that press release no longer appears on the website.
