Mariachi musician accused of holding mate at gunpoint

The leader of a popular Denver mariachi band is in jail, accused of holding another band member at gunpoint for hours after the man said he was leaving to join another mariachi band.

Denver police arrested 32- year-old Leonardo "Fidel" Berrelleza on Jan. 5, charging him with kidnapping, false imprisonment, menacing and assault.

For the past several years, Berrelleza has led Toros de la Sierra, a three-man mariachi group that plays at restaurants, bars and private events along the Front Range.

Ervey Ruiz, 52, the bass and guitar player, told Berrelleza in early January that he no longer wanted to be part of the group and was joining another mariachi band, according to police.

Ruiz told CBS 4 News that he had tired of the band's hard-partying ways. "Every day these guys drink, drink, drink," he said. "I go to practice every day; they drink."

It was after a practice in a northwest Denver home that Ruiz told band leader Berrelleza of his plans to move on. Berrelleza "became angry and told the victim he was not going to let him leave," according to a police affidavit. The band leader allegedly pulled a pistol on Ruiz, "pointed it at him and told him he was going to kill him." the affidavit said.

"This guy say, 'No, no, no, you is in my group,' " Ruiz said. "This guy mad at me because I go to another group."

The affidavit said Berrelleza held Ruiz at gunpoint for five hours, threatening to kill him the entire time.

The third member of the group, Jesus Uvaldo-Uvaldo, said he was at the home at 3743 Inca St. during part of the fracas but couldn't remember much.

"That night . . . I got loaded, you know what I mean?" he said.

Police say after five hours of threats, Berrelleza fired two to three shots into the ceiling. At that point, Ruiz said he grabbed the band leader's hand, trying to wrestle the gun away. When the gun flew out of Berrelleza's hand, Ruiz fled.

The next afternoon, detectives executed a search warrant and found a magazine for a .45-caliber pistol, a .410-gauge shotgun, a box of 9mm ammunition, seven bullets, four bullet casings and one spent round. Officers also said they noticed bullet holes in the wall and ceiling of the basement room.

Ruiz says he is much happier with his new band.

Berrelleza is being held in the Denver jail on $100,000 bail. He is due in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing. He declined to be interviewed for this story.

***Thanks to the good folks at the Goner Records Bulletin Board for pointing my way to this all-too-familiar story.