Rio de Janeiro convict investigated for rape after prison furlough

Wansther Jorge Silva Damasceno, known as the ‘maníaco do Escort azul’, is under investigation by the Civil Police for the rape of a 16-year-old girl in the Penha neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.

Investigations reveal the crime occurred on August 10, just three days after Damasceno was released from the Plácido de Carvalho Penal Institute as part of a temporary prison furlough program. Security footage showed the suspect loitering near a school before approaching the victim, who was leaving classes. Damasceno allegedly threatened the teenager by feigning he was armed, forcing her to a secluded street where the assault took place. He has since confessed to the crime.

Damasceno is currently serving a 121-year prison sentence for a history of robberies and sexual abuses. Following the new incident, the State Secretariat of Penal Police (Seppen) transferred him to the Bangu 1 Complex, where he remains in isolation. The case has reignited public debate regarding the granting of prison benefits and furloughs to individuals convicted of serious crimes.