McALLEN — A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer is back in custody after a federal judge remanded him back into custody upon failing a drug test, according to officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Jose Javier González, 37, of Mission, who was released on a $30,000 bond on May 31, 2017, was back in front of U.S. District Judge Randy Crane Monday after he failed to live up to the terms of the aforementioned bond.
Gonzalez, a former CBP officer working in the Rio Grande Valley, was arrested and charged in connection with federal computer fraud charges last May, according to court records.
The former federal officer faces five counts of fraud activity connected with computers, which stems from his alleged role in accessing and obtaining information on five different federal employees from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. This allegedly occurred from July 2015 to November 2016, according to the indictment against him.
“(Gonzalez) intentionally exceeded authorized access to a computer, and thereby obtained information from a department or agency of the United States; namely, the defendant obtained information and records pertaining to … an individual from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the indictment reads.
Crane revoked Gonzalez’s bond and remanded him to the custody of the U.S. Marshals after a drug test revealed that Gonzalez had tested positive for cocaine, court records show. Earlier this month, Crane had approved a requested modification to Gonzalez’s bond release conditions, allowing him to travel outside the Southern District of Texas for employment — another condition of his release.
Gonzalez’s attorney, Edinburg-based O. Rene Flores, successfully argued to have the terms of Gonzalez’s release modified as Gonzalez sought employment in Reagan County, which at the time was outside the area he was allowed to travel.
Crane approved the modification on Jan. 8 only to have U.S. Marshals arrest Gonzalez eight days later on the pre-trial violation, court records show.
During the hearing Monday, Gonzalez denied using any illegal drugs or violating the terms of his condition, USAO officials said.
Calls left for Flores went unreturned as of press time.
Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not return messages for comment regarding Gonzalez’s case.
If convicted of fraud activity connected with computers, Gonzalez faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
