Ramon Ayala Jr and Ramon Ayala | Credit: X/Nederlanderlive

New details have surfaced in a $25 million lawsuit filed in Hidalgo County that alleges repeated sexual assault and harassment by Ramón Ayala Jr., the son of Norteño icon Ramón Ayala.

The 13-page petition, filed Tuesday, February 17, by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, centers primarily on Ayala Jr., 56, who is accused of sexually assaulting and harassing a photographer identified in court documents as “John Doe #1.” The plaintiff is described as a professional photographer and videographer from McAllen who was hired in September 2024 to document the elder Ayala while on tour.

The lawsuit names Ayala Jr. as the central defendant but also includes Ramón Ayala, the band Ramón Ayala y Sus Bravos del Norte, and the band’s corporate entity, Liram LLC. Ayala Sr., who turned 80 in December and is widely known as the “King of the Accordion,” had been touring the United States and Mexico as part of his farewell run, initially titled El Principio de un Final and later renamed Historia De Un Final after several 2024 dates were canceled.

Allegations Detailed in Petition

According to the lawsuit, John Doe alleges he was sexually assaulted and subjected to a hostile work environment on multiple occasions while traveling with the tour. The petition claims that much of the conduct occurred in full view of band members and other crew.

In one August 2025 incident described in the filing, John Doe alleges that Ayala Jr. “physically overpowered” him aboard the tour bus.

“Without warning and without consent, Defendant Ayala Jr. physically grabbed (John Doe’s) legs, restrained him, forcibly removed (John Doe’s) footwear, and engaged in sexually offensive physical contact,” the lawsuit states. It further alleges that Ayala Jr. held him down and sucked his toes. The plaintiff claims he left the bus “in shock and humiliation.”

The suit also alleges that Ayala Jr. touched the plaintiff inappropriately on other occasions, routinely exposed himself aboard the bus, and engaged in sexually suggestive acts toward subordinates. When the plaintiff attempted to report the behavior, the lawsuit claims Ayala Jr. dismissed it as “horseplay” and told him to “get over it.”

According to the petition, the plaintiff was later removed from the tour bus and reassigned to travel in a separate passenger van.

The lawsuit further alleges that Ayala Jr. frequently used cocaine on tour and threw it at crew members. To support the claims, the filing reportedly includes three photographs — two allegedly showing Ayala Jr. in various states of undress and one depicting a hand holding a baggie said to contain cocaine.

Claims Against Ayala Sr. and the Band

While the majority of allegations focus on Ayala Jr., the lawsuit also accuses Ramón Ayala, the band, and Liram LLC of negligence for allegedly failing to intervene.

“Defendants knew or should have known of Ayala Jr.’s propensity to engage in inappropriate physical conduct yet failed to intervene, supervise, or remove him from a position of authority,” the suit states. “In doing so, they created and maintained conditions that made this assault foreseeable.”

The petition outlines four overarching causes of action: assault and sexual assault; negligence and gross negligence; negligence and gross negligence by Ayala Sr. and Liram LLC; and ratification — alleging that by failing to act, Ayala Sr. and the organization effectively approved the alleged misconduct.

The case seeks more than $25 million in damages and is currently pending in Hidalgo County State Court in the Rio Grande Valley.

According to Tony Buzbee: “I’ve handled some of the largest and most high-profile sexual assault cases in the United States. I’ve never seen the type of conduct alleged in this case. It is the most egregious and outrageous that I have seen. Something has to be done to stop this, and we intend to do it.”

As of publication, no response from Ayala Jr., Ramón Ayala, the band, or Liram LLC had been included in court filings or press materials. Tejano Nation will continue to follow the case and provide updates as they become available.

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