Texas Inmate Could Be First to Get Gender Reassignment Surgery

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A Texas judge has ordered the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to evaluate the case of a transgender inmate seeking to be the first to undergo gender-reassignment surgery while being held in federal custody.

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Cristina Iglesias is Serving Time in a Texas Women's Prison For Threating to Use a Weapon of Mass Destruction

47-year-old Cristina Nichole Iglesias is currently serving a 20-year sentence that started in 1994 for threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction at Fort Worth’s Federal Medical Center Carswell. According to the report from Forbes, she has been working with lawyers and the ACLU to get the surgery since 2016.

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A Federal Judge Wants the U.S. Bureau of Prisons To Evaluate Iglesias' Request for Gender-Reassignment Surgery

Last week, federal judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel ordered officials with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to evaluate Iglesias' case and come to a decision quickly. Rosenstengel wants the bureau to decide before January 24th, and, if approved, to schedule the procedure as soon as possible. According to the report from the Dallas Morning News, Rosenstengel wants a quick turnaround on the evaluation so that the surgery can be completed before Iglesias is released later this year.

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Texas Inmate Cristina Iglesias Has Released a Statement About Her Gender-Reassignment Request

Iglesias issued this statement on the matter through her lawyer:

I am happy to have had the chance to tell my story and am hopeful that other transgender people will benefit from my case

She added that without judge Rostentengal’s help, she would"

...fall through the cracks and [the Bureau of Prisons] would ignore my need for gender-affirming surgery which I’ve been fighting to get for decades.

According to a report from NBC, there are currently 1,200 federal prisoners serving time right now that identify as transgender.

Have You Seen Any of These 44 Missing East Texas People?

Losing someone is hard, but when they go missing without a trace - it's even harder. The family and friends of these 44 people are desperate for any information that could bring their loved ones home or at least give them some closure. If you have any information at all that could lead authorities to their whereabouts, please contact the Missing Persons Clearinghouse by calling (800) 346-3243

Can You Help Solve Any of These 24 East Texas Cold Cases?

Crime is a terrible thing. Luckily, we've got a dedicated group of police officers and investigators that work around to the clock to bring those responsible for breaking the law to justice. Unfortunately, not every case is closed. Authorities in East Texas are hoping that someone might have a key piece of information that could help them crack these 24 cold cases wide open. If you know anything, please reach out to the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000, or Tyler Smith County Crime-Stoppers at 903-597-2833.

Filed Under: Texas