Casper Woman to Plead Guilty to Burning Wellspring Health/Abortion Clinic

The Casper woman accused of setting fire to the Wellspring Health Access Clinic last year is scheduled next week to change her previous not guilty plea, according to federal court records.

Lorna Roxanne Green will enter a change of plea in person at 1:30 p.m. July 20 before U.S. District Court Judge Alan Johnson in Cheyenne, according to the federal court docket.

The post in Public Access to Court Electronic Records did not give any details about the scheduled change of plea.

Green, who was 22 when arrested, is charged with one count of arson of a facility engaged in interstate commerce, which is punishable by between five years and 20 years imprisonment.

The fire was set at the Wellspring Health Access Clinic, 918 E. Second St., early May 25, 2022, a month before it was set to open. The clinic would provide services including OB/GYN, gender affirming care, and abortion procedures.

The clinic initially kept its abortion business secret, but it soon leaked and protests with 130-140 people began in March 2022. The protests still continue on Thursday afternoon.

The fire cause about $290,000 in damage and delayed the opening by nearly a year.

The case went cold until March when the Casper Police Department announced the earlier $5,000 award for information was increased by $10,000.

Police received 12 leads, four of which identified Green as the suspect.

An agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wrote in an affidavit that "[Lorna] Green stated she did not like abortion and was having nightmares which she attributed to her anxiety about the abortion clinic, so she decided to burn the building."

Green was arrested on March 21, made an initial appearance after her arrest, and was later released on an unsecured bond of $10,000.

On May 17, the federal grand jury handed up the indictment with the single count of arson.

The clinic opened in April.

Green is represented by Casper attorney Ryan Semerad.

Wyoming Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Sprecher is the prosecutor.