Biography
Ruben Ogaz was an El Paso Chicano activist and a member of Chicanos Unidos. With Ramon Arroyos and Alfredo Espinosa, he became known as one of Los Tres after being accused of the August 6, 1975 firebombing of the Popular department store. The defendants denied responsibility, and La Causa Legal Defense Committee organized their defense. They initially faced $10,000 bail each and later secured release. Ogaz was convicted on September 9, 1976 and received five years' probation in the arson case. He had also been arrested in June 1976 on a separate allegation of selling heroin. The October 1, 1976 Militant reported that he remained jailed because he could not raise $50,000 bail; supporters denounced that prosecution as a frame-up against an organizer working to combat drug abuse. His release date and total time served have not been established.
