Mariachi gets probation in menacing case
By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 12:19 p.m., May 13, 2008
Updated 12:19 p.m., May 13, 2008
Courtesy CBS 4 News
Ervey Ruiz, from left, Leonardo "Fidel" Berrelleza and Jesus Uvaldo-Uvaldo played together in the popular mariachi band Toros de la Sierra.
A gun-toting mariachi who held a gun on a musician who wanted to quit his band was sentenced to probation today in Denver District Court.
Alvaro Alvarado-Amarias, 31, was given a three-year prison sentence suspended as long as he stays out of trouble for his three-year probation term.
Originally charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and assault, Alvarado-Amarias pleaded guilty to menacing.
He was arrested Jan. 5 for holding Ervey Ruiz, 52, at gunpoint for five hours, threatening to kill him because Ruiz told him he was joining another band.
For the past several years, Alvarado-Amarias has led Toros de la Sierra, a three-man mariachi group.
Ruiz said he decided to leave because drinking was a higher priority with his bandmates than practicing their music.
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May 13, 2008
12:31 p.m.
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Dude writes:
Whats with the big a$$ hat?
May 13, 2008
1:02 p.m.
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303hammy writes:
what's with the fake background of a chysler and a toyota pickup!?!??!?!?
May 13, 2008
1:27 p.m.
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Dude writes:
those cars look better than pintos and gremlins.
May 13, 2008
1:29 p.m.
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nobodyman writes:
Is it a fake background or a fake foreground? If I was cars I'd get a better fake foreground.
May 13, 2008
2:14 p.m.
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LingLingfor_prez writes:
Looks like a tough business. I think I will pass.
May 13, 2008
2:15 p.m.
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buzzman writes:
it's a friggin' mex who got off very, very light-should deport his butt-the one strike rule, you know ?? The US needs to adopt the one strike rule like Grand Cayman has done with the Jamaicians.
May 13, 2008
2:41 p.m.
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cah80015 writes:
What makes you think he's not a citizen you moron!!!!
May 13, 2008
3:08 p.m.
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me2 writes:
That`s why they call him "Leader of the band".
May 13, 2008
4:46 p.m.
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reddog writes:
I'm not hispanic and I'm against illegals but Buzzman your an idiot to assume all hispanics are illegal, this is Colorado and the hispanic population has been here for my entire life (60 years) your the idiot who should be deported for being so freakin stupid.
May 14, 2008
8:59 a.m.
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OhBrother writes:
sweet picture, what a original idea.
May 14, 2008
9:50 a.m.
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HumanBeans writes:
Gotta love that Mexican culture and rich rich heritage!
May 14, 2008
11:13 a.m.
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gringo writes:
That is NOT mariachi!!!! not even close. They are a norteno group, by the looks of them. Mariachi takes at least 5 to 7 persons ( with all acoustics and trumpet), and they don't dress like cowboys or show off in front of expensive trucks. That is a norteno or groupera thing.
Mariachi is like classical to groupera being like rock ...
Terrible for the reporter to call them mariachi, That is a racial (not racist) steriotype, mexican dude with a guitar must be mariachi, right? Bad.....
May 14, 2008
12:53 p.m.
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Heidi writes:
Gringo, thanks for clearing that up. How is that construed as being a racial stereotype, when apparently no one here really knows that there are different types? Maybe it's Alvarado-Amarias that needs to be corrected if he calls his band (sorry if that is not a correct term) a mariachi. Perhaps he is the one who is influencing the stereotype.
May 14, 2008
1:30 p.m.
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gringo writes:
Perhaps you are right. If he calls the band mariachi, then he is wrong and is part of the problem. If the reporter calls the band a mariachi, then they should have checked the facts better and not jumped to false conclusions.
I drew a distinction between racial and racist, but to make it even more clear what I ment maybe I should have stated "cultural" steriotype. Maybe I am just wrong and it is just plain ignorance.
I worked with Mexicans for many years in the states, ( and I live in Mexico now ). I cannot say how many times I heard my "other than mexican" co workers complain about the "mariachi" music blaring from the mexicans work trucks. ALL of said music was banda, groupera or durengense, which is characterised by oompa polka like tuba, drums and electric bass or keyboards , and drug / violence laced lyrics, which mariachi does not have. These bands all dress like cowboys ( and usually pimped out with flashy belt buckles and exotic skinned boots and gold to flaunt drug money ) and commonly flaunt cars like in the photo kind of like rap music. They are called nortenos (northerners) which is the U.S. equivilent to western.
Mariachi is pure, all acoustic, and refined. It Classic and traditional music of old Mexico.
Just want to point that out. It just struck me to see these guys called mariachi, that is an abomonation.
May 14, 2008
1:38 p.m.
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Heidi writes:
I can see how you may be offended, gringo. I suppose the bands call themselves mariachi because they assume that is the only term that we would be familiar with. I guess if they see this article and read the following comments, they will see how silly they make themselves look. But maybe they don't care.
May 14, 2008
1:48 p.m.
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The_Punnisher writes:
I am the Frito Bandito...;-)...
Aaah, the richness of the cultures that make up the US of A...
...as long as you put the RED, WHITE and BLUE FIRST!
Not the RED, WHITE and GREEN!...
May 14, 2008
2:42 p.m.
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joedog writes:
"Ruiz said he decided to leave because drinking was a higher priority with his bandmates than practicing their music."
Where are they playing next? I gotta catch this act. Sounds like the Stones of mariachi (or whatever).
May 14, 2008
2:53 p.m.
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joedog writes:
Enlarge the photo. What a lousy photoshop job. Makes Ruiz look like he's 3 feet tall next to the truck. Fidel is obviously too drunk to even fake playing. He has to rest his hand on the neck of the guitar. And nice job on the "bainilla" license plate. I think I'm gonna use this pic as wallpaper, it's so GD funny.
May 14, 2008
2:58 p.m.
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Heidi writes:
joedog,
Those look like cut out dolls to me. Or maybe it was one of those colorforms kits! Anyone remember them?
May 14, 2008
3:07 p.m.
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joedog writes:
Probably life sized cut outs they put on stage they're when too hammered to stand.
May 14, 2008
3:12 p.m.
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joedog writes:
Which one replaced Alvarado-Amarias? Must be Ulvado-Ulvado. Can't have a band without a hyphon.
May 14, 2008
4:40 p.m.
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ONEman writes:
Right on. This board was hillarious. The article itself was pretty good but the picture takes the cake. A Toyota and a Chrysler?
El Grupo Rocky's. WTF LOL! Thanks for the news update Sue.
May 14, 2008
4:47 p.m.
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CyberHostage writes:
Whatever type of outfit they are, if they come play at MY table, I'm going to pretend I really enjoy it, and give them a big tip.
May 14, 2008
5:32 p.m.
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johnson writes:
This whole article is just so funny on every level. I love the posts. Nice job joedog. 5 hours at gun point 'cuz he was gonna join another band? "Yeah, and it's called Wings!"
May 15, 2008
5:17 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
I wanted to set the mariachi free on Fat Tuesday (the day this went down), but no... glad you're free... you owe me a song... you better play or we'll shoot the floor under ya"... Dance you're a free man!