A Starr County man is accused of contacting a woman he was ordered to stay away from. Benito Reyes is charged with Violation of a Protective Order, a Class A misdemeanor in Texas.

The charge comes from a sworn complaint. It says Reyes reached out to Noemi Perez while an active protective order barred him from any contact with her. The complaint does not say how he made contact. El Tejano is reporting only what the sworn complaint states.

Protective orders exist to keep one person from contacting or approaching another. A judge signs one after finding a real risk of harm. Once it is active, any contact can lead to criminal charges. That includes a phone call, a text, or showing up in person.

The case became public through a Public Information Act request El Tejano filed with the Starr County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office released booking information on Reyes as part of that request.

Reyes has not been convicted. He is presumed innocent under the law. The charge reflects one side of the case, the allegation written in the complaint. It is not proof of guilt.

A Class A misdemeanor in Texas can mean up to a year in county jail. It can also mean a fine of up to $4,000 if a person is convicted. It is the most serious level of misdemeanor charge before a crime becomes a felony.

Protective order cases involve real people. They are trying to stay safe from someone a court already found reason to worry about. El Tejano is naming the protected party only because she appears in the public complaint. El Tejano is not adding any detail about the original protective order beyond what the complaint states. El Tejano is not guessing why the order was issued. El Tejano is not guessing about the relationship between the two people.

Cases like this move through the Starr County court system on their own timeline. Reyes will have the chance to answer the charge in court. What happens next is not yet clear. Any court dates or a plea are not yet part of the public record El Tejano has reviewed.

El Tejano will follow this case and report any updates as they become part of the public record.