U.S. Department of Justice Employee Indicted on State Terrorism Charges

A worker for the U.S. Department of Justice has been charged with state terrorism for allegedly hiding the identities of federal agents while on border patrol duty.

This week, the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office arrested Karen Olvera de Leon, an employee at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas in Brownsville. She’s facing one count of terrorism and one count of tampering with evidence.

The case started on June 9 during a federal operation in Brownsville. Reports indicate that the operation was being livestreamed, and viewers began commenting. One comment, deemed a death threat against federal agents visible in the stream, led to further investigation when another viewer disclosed the identity of one agent.

This breach of identity prompted federal authorities to look deeper into the situation. They identified Olvera de Leon as the person responsible for revealing the personal information of the agents involved. According to Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz, she was arrested as a result.

Records from the Carrizales Rucker Detention Center indicate that a judge set Olvera’s bail at $20,000 on a personal recognizance basis. This means she was released after simply signing, but if she misses any future court dates, she will need to pay that amount.

This incident adds another layer of concern as federal workers, particularly those in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol, have faced increasing threats related to their enforcement roles.

In a related event just a month later, a gunman in tactical gear attacked a U.S. Border Patrol facility near McAllen International Airport. During that incident, which ended with law enforcement fatally shooting the assailant, a police officer was injured.