The FBI today arrested a Valrico man accused of damaging computers at a Tampa law office.

Edwin Vega Jr., 41, initially ignored agents who went to his house around 9 a.m., according to FBI spokesman David Couvertier. Agents believed Vega was inside his house, along with his wife and possibly one of his three children.

Agents tried telephoning Vega without success, and then brought a hostage negotiator to the home at 1833 Winn Arthur Drive, Couvertier said. The hostage negotiator also could not make contact with Vega, and so a SWAT team was called to the scene.

As the SWAT team was setting up a perimeter, the negotiator tried one more time to contact Vega, who responded and came out of the house, Couvertier said. He was placed under arrest.

Vega was charged in an indictment last week with transmitting a program, information, code and command to computers belonging to the law office of Daniel C. Consuegra, causing at least $5,000 in damages. The offense happened between Aug. 20 and Aug. 30, according to the indictment.