Three men detained last week in connection with the massacre of nine members of the LeBarón family on November 4 bring the number of arrests in the case to seven.

Agents from the federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR), the National Guard, the army and the navy arrested the three men in Janos, Chihuahua, on December 26. One of the men was Fidel Alejandro Villegas Villegas, Janos chief of police.

Investigations have led authorities to believe that Villegas could be an active element in the La Línea gang and that through his influence and staff he procured protection for members of the organization. He is also under investigation by federal authorities in the United States.

The FGR said that joint investigations by various federal security forces led to the district court judge at the Altiplano federal prison in México state to issue arrest warrants for Villegas and two others for their involvement in the massacre and other gang-related crimes.

The three were put into preventative custody for the duration of their trial, which is expected to take four months.

The FGR added that for the purpose of secrecy, the legal status of the other four detainees also in preventative custody will be released at another time.

Despite the arrests, the LeBarón family continues to dispute the government’s claim that the attack was related to the conflict between the La Línea and Los Salazar criminal organizations.

Source: El Universal (sp)