Accused Newman Cop Killer, 7 Alleged Accomplices Arrested

NEWMAN, CA — The man accused of gunning down Newman Police Cpl. Ronil Singh the day after Christmas during a DUI traffic stop has been arrested in Bakersfield, according to Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson. The sheriff said the accused shooter, Gustavo Perez Arriaga, is in this country illegally and was trying to flee to Mexico with the help of his brother, a co-worker and others.

Arriaga's brother, Adrian Virgen, and his co-worker Erik Razo Quiroz, have been arrested and are being held on charges of being accessories after the fact in the murder of Cpl Singh.

A total of five people have now been arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting Arriaga. The latest two arrests were announced Friday night. Arriaga's girlfriend, Ana Leyde Cervantes of Newman was taken into custody in Turlock. A second brother of Arriaga was arrested in Livermore. He has been identified as Conrado Virgen Mendoza of Chowchilla.

Three Bakersfield residents whose arrests were announced earlier are Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda, Erasmo Villegas, and Maria Luisa Moreno.

Sheriff Christianson told reporters that Arriaga is in this country illegally, has been arrested for DUI twice before, and is a member of the Sureno gang. Arriaga is also accused of having multiple aliases.

>>Related: Memorial Fund Started For Slain Newman Policeman Ronil Singh

The killing of Cpl. Singh has ignited a firestorm of criticism of California's sanctuary laws, with outraged law enforcement officers, California residents and critics across the country demanding that the state's sanctuary status be scrapped. Sheriff Christianson has been leading the charge. "We should have been allowed to report him to ICE," Christianson told reporters, "but because of sanctuary laws we could not."

The controversy comes as the federal government is in the midst of a partial shutdown over President Donald Trump's demand that Congress fund a border wall.

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-Image via Stanislaus County Sheriff Department