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.