A Rio Hondo man is out on bond after he allegedly traded $50 bucks and marijuana for electronics stolen from Santa Maria High School.
Cameron County Pct. 7 deputy constables arrested 22-year-old Mauricio Bocanegra on theft and child endangerment charges on Tuesday.
Court records show that group of juveniles broke into Santa Maria High School through an unlocked window back on Wednesday, May 18th.
Surveillance cameras caught the teens stealing a laptop and projector from the school.
Investigators told Action 4 News that were able to identify three juvenile males and one juvenile female in the case.
A 16-year-old girl tampered with the window allowing the three boys come back later that night.
Deputy constables arrested all four of them under burglary charges.
The teens told authorities that they sold the laptop to Bocanegra for $50 dollars and traded the projector for at least two ounces of marijuana.
Deputy constables told Action 4 News that they recovered items but learned that Bocanegra turned around and sold the stolen laptop to his mother for $175 dollars.
Authorities are not filing charges against Bocanegra's mother.
Investigators said Bocanegra allegedly knew the teens because he is good friends with the older stepbrother of one of the teens.
Constable Cesar Diaz told Action 4 News that he wants the case to serve as example to area students that they will be charged if they commit any crime.
Deputy constables said they are considering trading marijuana for the projector as a form of child endangerment because the it could cause mental impairment, physical impairment, bodily injury or death.
Court records show that Bocanegra has a criminal history that includes pirate DVDs, burglary, possession of a controlled substance and driving without a license.
Bocanegra appeared before a Cameron County magistrate judge on Wednesday morning where he was issued $10,000 dollars in bonds.
Jail records show that Bocanegra posted bond on Wednesday afternoon.
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