Las Cruces man federally charged in bomb threat against former employer
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Federal authorities have charged a former Mesilla Valley emergency dispatcher for allegedly making bomb threats over Facebook against the dispatch center and threatening ex-coworkers, the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office for New Mexico announced.
Jason Rivera is in custody, awaiting a detention hearing on Tuesday. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
On April 25, Rivera, 53, of Las Cruces, made a bomb threat against the Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority and throughout the month repeatedly threatened former coworkers in violent, expletive-laden Facebook posts, according to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
Rivera鈥檚 threat interrupted emergency services at the Do帽a Ana County Government Center, which was locked down and checked for explosives. No explosives were found.
Rivera worked as an emergency dispatcher at the center beginning in 2009 and was later promoted to be a coordinator. In September 2020, Rivera quit and staff were notified that, due to 鈥渆rratic behavior,鈥� Rivera wasn鈥檛 allowed in the building.
The message was accidentally sent to Rivera, a staff member told the FBI. Four years later, threatening posts began popping up on Rivera鈥檚 Facebook page, according to the complaint, and escalated in intensity until the bomb threat.
Rivera made the threats from his personal Facebook account under his legal name and the FBI connected the IP address of the posts to his residence. The FBI also reported in the complaint that Rivera had registered a website under the address 鈥渒illdonaanacounty.org.鈥�
Rivera made threats against at least eight former coworkers and some of his coworkers鈥� family members, according to the complaint.
In one post, he said hitmen were 鈥渃urrently parked outside鈥� of his ex-coworker鈥檚 home, according to the complaint. Rivera allegedly continued posting until he was taken into custody by deputies from the Do帽a Ana County Sheriff鈥檚 Office.
鈥淚鈥檓 told cops are outside my house, they have a warrant for me talking (expletive) to traitors, lol,鈥� reads Rivera鈥檚 final message, posted online mere minutes before he was arrested.
The FBI interviewed Rivera鈥檚 former coworkers and were told that Rivera had several incidents and behaviors that made staff feel 鈥渦ncomfortable.鈥�
In one instance, Rivera showed up to a border checkpoint naked to report to agents that his car was lost, prompting staff from the U.S. Border Patrol to call the dispatch center, according to the complaint.
Rivera鈥檚 coworker also reported to the FBI that he had a habit of 鈥渉overing鈥� near female new hires 鈥渋n a way that made them feel uncomfortable.鈥�
The Journal reached out to Rivera鈥檚 attorney for comment, but he could not be reached.
