Marcelo was a MAPU Lautaro member and political prisoner in the 1990s.
Later, he was charged with taking part in the September 2007 Banco
Santander robbery in Valparaíso and the October 2007 Banco Security robbery
in Santiago during which repressive agent Luis Moyano died in a shootout
while they were making their escape.
After a period as a fugitive, Villarroel was arrested on March 15, 2008 together
with Freddy Fuentevilla in Neuquen, Argentina. They were then deported to
Chile on December 15, 2009. Freddy and Juan Aliste Vega were charged with
the same, and were imprisoned for years awaiting trial and had it regularly
postponed. On July 2, 2014, the 3 comrades were sentenced in their absence,
having refused to assist in the
judicial show, and gave their disposition by video link. Marcelo was sentenced
to 14 years in prison for the assault on Santander Bank in Valparaiso and
Banco Security. His cumulative sentence ends in 2056.
