Grammy Winner Held on Suspected Drug Cartel Ties

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Dec 17th 2009 07:27AM

A Latin Grammy winner rounded up during a raid on a Mexican drug cartel's Christmas party last week is being held on suspicion of organized crime ties, his attorney told the AP Wednesday. Ramon Ayala, a Texas-based norteno singer, could face charges of organized crime and money laundering, lawyer Adolfo Vega Elizondo said. Mexican authorities had said earlier this week that Ayala was released for lack of evidence.

Vega denied the singer or his band, Los Bravos del Norte, had any ties to drug gangs. He said they were hired to play at the party in a wealthy community south of Mexico City and didn't know their clients were suspected members of the Beltran Leyva cartel.

"They have never in any moment belonged to organized crime. They were offering their services as singers, as artists," Vega told The Associated Press.

Ayala, a Mexican accordionist and singer who lives in Hidalgo, Texas, has been detained in federal police headquarters in Mexico City since the raid Friday, Vega said.

Officials with the Attorney General's Office, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the case, confirmed Ayala and his band members had been in custody since Friday. On Tuesday, agency officials had said Ayala was let go because there was no evidence tying him to the drug cartel.

Mexican norteno bands often sing about drug trafficking and violence and many have been rumored to perform at drug traffickers' weddings and other parties, but few have been caught.

Ayala and his band were performing in a gated community of mansions outside the mountain town of Tepoztlan when sailors raided the house and a shootout broke out. Three gunmen were killed and 11 others suspected of working for the Beltran Leyva cartel were arrested.

Ayala, who sports a mustache and long sideburns and favors black cowboy hats, has a large following along the Mexico-U.S. border and has won two Latin Grammys for his romantic ballads of heartbreak and rural life in Mexico.

He had been scheduled to host a Christmas festival Wednesday in Hidalgo, a free event he puts on every year that includes music, food and the opportunity for impoverished children to line up at his home to receive a ticket for a gift.

The 10th annual "posada" went on Wednesday despite the singer's absence, drawing about 5,000 people.

Cold weather forced the party into an arena instead of its usual venue across from Ayala's home, city officials said. Instead of lining up at his home, hundreds of children filed toward a corner of the arena to get gifts of soccer balls, skateboards, beauty kits and other toys.

Jose Luis Avila, a resident of Reynosa, Mexico, called the event "magnificent" and was disappointed Ayala and his band didn't perform.

"I thought he was going to be here. I thought they (Mexican authorities) already let him go," the 50-year-old Avila said.

Tags: Ramon Ayala, RamonAyala

Comments

(20)

Thursday 17 December

By leroy

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Well ..That should`nt be no big surprise.Mexico is one of the most corrupt cities around , you can`t trust any of those people,their very greasy and spicy..UH UH UH # 1 AGAIN..UH UH UH

By otrpu

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I believe Mexico is a little more than a city. If I'm not mistaken it's considered a Country.
Cheers,
otrpu

By cruz

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well leroy yes mexico is a city and yes is very corrupt what about the united states we are corrupt to and boy i bet you like mexican food so put it where is dont shine brother.

By phurbee951

Mexico is a city?

By ap

You've never heard of Mexico City? Look on a map

By Robert

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He came home by crossing in the dead of night

By Esmeralda Gonzalez

I TRULY BELIVE RAMON AYALA WAS ONLY DOING HIS JOB, "SINGING", HE AINT INVOLVED IN NO DRUG CARTEL BUSINESS. HE IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTFUL MEN THERE IS, YOUR JUST TO UNDERSTAND THEY GET HIRED TO SING AND ENTERTAIN PEOPLE, THEY GO AROUND AND ASK "WHERE DO U WORK OR WHAT DO YOU DO" ...ALL THIS IS A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT WILL GET CLEARED UP.

By DEE TIMMONS

Ya know theres alot of problems in Mexico right now. But I have to say not all mexicans are bad.
I understand how they have fiestas and parties that live music is required where affordable. Soon I will have my youngest daughters Quinceanera and wish I could afford a band for her dance. Like anyone else, you should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

By edward

MOST - SPANISH - LATIN - CHICANO - MEXICAN PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE THAT NO ONE OF THEIR KIND ....DOES NO WRONG.........
MOST FAMOUS PEOPLE LEAD A SECRET LIFE.....AND "ARE" PART OF THE PROBLEM.
WE DID'NT KNOW ABOUT TIGER WOODS SECRET LIFE DID WE? WE DID'NT KNOW ABOUT WHITNEY HOUSTON (DRUG ADDICT) WITH BOBY BROWN..........UBTIL SOMEONE SPILLED THE BEANS ........RIGHT?
BUT THEN AGAIN O.J. SIMPSON IS STILL INNOCENT TOO......HUH?

By A

Watch what you say about Whitney Houston. She made some mistakes, as well as Tiger Woods, but that is their business, not ours. Plus, I noticed you didn't name any caucasian celebrities! Do I need to remind you of Britney Spears and her constantly abandoning her children to go party and drink? Not to mention Kevin Federline who left a woman with which he had two kids!

By Pujo

EVERYBODY is innocent... Yeah, right...

By jessemailsucks

I actually like Ramon Ayala's music. They get top dollars to perform privately so I really don't think he had anything to do with it. And for those attacking Mexico and its cartels, I don't suppose it would be THAT horrible of a market if it weren't for Americans who pathetically consume these drugs to feel better about their pathetic lives. (both rich and poor) It's as simple as supply and demand. So, get off your high chairs, horses and pebbles.

By Ghetto

And if it wasn't for the greedy mexican drug cartels, Americans wouldn't have the drugs they so "pathetically" consume.

Sunday 20 December

By eazyrider

eye chee wow wow thats all i gotta say.

By Mel.

I think the conversation went something like this..."Sing at my daughters quincenera and I'll let you go".... hahaha

By jljniel

Mexico is the illegal drug supplier of the world. Always will be. The drug wars will never end.

By Bruce

Oh, man, I beeen framed! I never-ever do it, but every time I geeeet the blame!

By dougieooo

deport the crook! im sick of these prima donna entertainers who think theyre above the law or better yet make him a soprano and you know.............

By Ralph

During the 80's, the Rolling Stones and other artists played million dollar gigs for the Medellin cartel in Colombia. Money buys entertainment.

the only thing mexico has brought to america is crime swapmeets babies horrible music and ricky martin..lol oh..by the way i love mexican food when i can`t find any ex-lax..UH UH UH

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