José Carlos Machado sentenced to 30 years for multiple murders in Uruguay

José Carlos Machado González, known as ‘El Pelón’, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by a criminal judge in Ciudad de la Costa for a series of violent crimes committed between 2021 and September 2025. The sentence covers four homicides, two aggravated robberies, weapon possession, and receiving stolen goods.

The killings involved three men and one woman. The first murder occurred in April 2021 in General Líber Seregni, where Machado fatally stabbed Cristian Suffo following a dispute. Subsequent homicides took place in the Canelones department. The final murder occurred during a robbery in Maldonado, involving a victim Machado did not know.

Prosecutor Luis Álvez described the case as showing a ‘clear contempt for human life.’ In addition to the 30-year prison term, the court ordered Machado to undergo 15 years of eliminative security measures upon completion of his sentence.