A sworn complaint accuses Jose Javier Hernandez of breaking into a home that belongs to Israel Rios in Starr County. Hernandez faces one count of burglary of a habitation. That charge is a serious felony that can mean 2 to 20 years in prison.
The case comes from the Starr County Sheriff's Office. El Tejano got the complaint through a public records request. Hernandez has not been convicted of anything. Under the law, he is presumed innocent unless a court finds him guilty.
The sworn complaint lays out the basic claim against Hernandez. It says he broke into property that belongs to Israel Rios. The complaint does not say what, if anything, deputies believe was taken. It does not say how deputies believe Hernandez got inside. Those details are not part of the public record El Tejano received.
Burglary of a habitation is one of the more serious property crimes on the books in Texas. The law treats a break-in at a home as more dangerous than a break-in at a business. It sees an empty building the same way. That is why the charge carries a heavier prison range than most theft cases. A conviction can also leave a permanent felony record. That record follows a person for the rest of their life.
Starr County sees burglary cases move through its courts on a regular basis. Most start the same way this one did. A sworn complaint gets filed after someone reports a break-in. From there, a case can move to a grand jury for indictment. Then it can go to trial or end in a plea deal. Every step gives the accused person a chance to fight the charge in court.
El Tejano requests booking and case records from the Starr County Sheriff's Office. This is part of our ongoing coverage of the local court system. These requests bring public information to residents who might not otherwise see it. The goal is to track how cases move through Starr County. It is not to declare guilt before a judge or jury does.
Right now, Hernandez's case is pending in the Starr County court system. No trial date is listed in the record El Tejano received. As with any pending case, the facts could change as more evidence comes out. Hernandez remains accused, not convicted, and the case is still open.
