Probation officer admits to accepting bribes
BROWNSVILLE - A federal probation officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges he took bribes in exchange for leaking sealed court filings over several months last year.
Juan Muñiz Jr., 28, of McAllen, admitted to selling information on convicts in the Rio Grande Valley to a man he believed to be linked to Mexican organized crime, according to the U.S. attorney's office.
Muñiz, who worked at the federal courthouse in McAllen, purportedly accepted at least four bribes totaling $9,000 between Oct. 30 and Nov. 20, the indictment in his case shows.
But under an agreement with prosecutors, he pleaded to one count in exchange for the other charges against him being dropped upon resolution of his case.
Muniz's illegal activity began when he worked as a state probation officer and leaked sensitive information to a man cooperating as a witness with the FBI, according to federal authorities. The relationship between the two men continued after Muñiz accepted a job at the U.S. probation office.
Investigators recorded several conversations in which the men discussed selling sealed documents, according to the U.S. attorney's office. In each case, Muñiz allegedly believed he was selling information to criminal bosses living in Mexico who were interested in whether specific individuals on probation had cooperated in federal cases.
Muñiz now faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
His attorney, Gocha Allen Ramirez, did not return calls for comment Tuesday.
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Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.
