Lawyer Pleads Guilty in Baby-Selling, Fraud Case

An Orange County adoption attorney pleaded guilty Friday to recruiting pregnant Hungarian women to sell their babies to California couples, authorities said.

According to U.S. District Court officials, Janice J. Doezie, 49, of Villa Park admitted participating in the baby sales, committing visa fraud and persuading illegal immigrants to enter the U.S.

As part of a plea agreement, she “admitted that Hungarian birth mothers and parents were recruited to come to the United States to give up their children in exchange for money,” according to a statement by federal prosecutor Daniel McCurrie. When the Hungarians did not receive visas, Doezie helped arrange for birth mothers and children to be smuggled into the United States via Canada, the statement said.

Doezie is free on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be sentenced June 19. She faces 15 years in federal prison. Without the plea agreement, she could have faced 70 years.