Santa Catarina courts impose prison sentences in sexual abuse cases

The 5th Criminal Chamber of the Tribunal de Justiça de Santa Catarina affirmed an 18‑year, 1‑month and 23‑day prison term for a deacon convicted of raping a girl under 14. The court noted the offender exploited his religious role to gain access to the victim and rejected the defense’s appeal.

Separately, the 2nd Criminal Chamber of the same court upheld a public‑prosecutor request to place a man in preventive detention for multiple counts of rape of vulnerable minors, including sexual assault that led to a pregnancy of a girl aged 10‑12, and abuse of her younger brother. The ruling cited the seriousness of the crimes, the family relationship with the victims, and the risk to public order.