HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas – Grammy Award-winning Norteño musician Ramón Ayala Jr. turned himself in to the Hidalgo Police Department on Friday, according to records, in response to a warrant for his arrest.
Ayala Jr. was arrested for sexual assault, according to an attorney representing the victim, who is among former band and crew members who filed a lawsuit earlier this year alleging repeated, unwanted sexual contact.
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Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee described the arrest as a “positive step” for the victims he represents.
Online records show Friday’s arrest stems from an August 2025 offense. Additional details surrounding the assault that led to Friday’s arrest were not immediately available, but Ayala Jr. has since been released on a $2,000 bond.
The lawsuit, filed in February, alleged a hostile and sexually charged environment on the band’s tour bus. According to the lawsuit, Ramón Ayala Jr. frequently made sexually aggressive and suggestive comments and at times rode on the bus completely nude while allegedly under the influence of cocaine and alcohol.
“I’ve handled some of the largest and most high-profile sexual assault cases in the United States,” Buzbee said at the time of the filing. “I’ve never seen the type of conduct alleged in this case.”
Ramón Ayala y Sus Bravos del Norte, founded in the early 1970s, is widely regarded as one of the most influential groups in regional Mexican music.
Ramón Ayala, the founder of the band and Ayala Jr.’s father, said reports about the case “deeply hurt” his group, his fans and his family, and argued that some people, “without foundation,” are trying to take advantage and tarnish his legacy. He said he could not provide additional information because of ongoing legal matters.
In a screenshot of an email provided by Buzbee on Friday, Hidalgo police appear to inform the attorney that an emergency protective order was obtained for the victim, who is not being named.
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