Mexican Judge Orders Pre-Trial Detention for 13 Suspected of Obstructing Capture of Mayor Linked to Cartel
ALMOLOYA DE JUÁREZ, Mex. — A judge in the district serving the Santiaguito prison in Almoloya de Juárez has ruled to keep 13 individuals in preventive detention for allegedly impeding the capture of Pedro Luis "N", the elected mayor of Santo Tomás de los Plátanos. The arrest took place last Tuesday morning.
Among the detainees are relatives of Pedro Luis "N", better known as "Wicho", and his wife María del Rosario "N", the current mayor, who are both at-large and evading justice. Prosecutors indicate that both officials have ties to La Familia Michoacana, a notorious criminal group, providing protection and sensitive information about social program beneficiaries to facilitate extortion.
In today’s imputation hearing, Pedro Luis and Simitria, Wicho’s father and niece, listened as the public prosecutor accused them of inciting the population to obstruct the mayor-elect’s capture. They also face charges of assault and property damage. Similarly, Vicente, the father of María del Rosario, is accused of the same crimes, having been on the run since November 22.
Other accused individuals include Violeta "N", the municipal secretary; María Raquel, the first regidor; Luis Ángel, the fourth regidor; and police officers Seferino, Ángel, and Martín, who are also charged with abuse of authority and extortion. Araceli, Litzy Mariana, Nélida, and Lorena, a group of women, are accused of hindering the ministerial agents from approaching Wicho, who was about to assume the municipal presidency for the 2025-2027 term.
All the suspects exercised their right to silence, and their lawyers asked for an extension of the constitutional deadline to respond to the charges. Only María de Jesús and Verónica, Wicho’s mother and sister, were not present at the hearing; they were arrested on December 18.
