Former Minas Gerais PM Battalion Commander Arrested for Sexual Harassment

Welton José da Silva Baião, a 59‑year‑old retired lieutenant‑colonel and former commander of the 1st Battalion of the Minas Gerais Military Police, was arrested in flagrante on 4 August 2026. Police say he allegedly touched a 34‑year‑old female passenger with his feet and attempted to grope her with his hands while she was traveling on an intercity bus from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro.

Baião was taken into custody in Juiz de Fora, where he remains pending a custody hearing. The officer previously led the 1st Battalion, a key unit in central Belo Horizonte, and the Air Radio‑Patrol Battalion, and had received a medal from the Minas Gerais Military Justice for his service.