# Criminal convictions in Brazil

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/criminal-convictions-in-brazil
> Updated: 2026-10-12T23:03:28.000Z. Sources: 41. Developments: 2.

Brazil has seen a series of high-profile criminal convictions involving homicide, femicide, and financial crimes across various states.

In Bahia, significant sentences were handed down for the 2016 murder of celebrity hairdresser Valdir Macário, with Patric Ribeiro Tupinambá and Edgar da Silva Santos receiving over 50 years in prison. Additionally, Josevan Dionísio dos Santos, known as ‘BZ’, was sentenced to 28 years for the 2023 murder of quilombola leader Maria Bernadete Pacífico Moreira, also known as ‘Mãe Bernadete’. The killing at the Pitanga dos Palmares Quilombo was motivated by her opposition to regional drug trafficking, making him the third individual convicted in this case.

Recent rulings in Rio de Janeiro saw four men sentenced to 15 years in prison for the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in Copacabana, with the court ordering the payment of 40 minimum wages in moral damages. Other notable sentences include 75 years for the femicide of Tatiane Rodrigues Teixeira in Patos de Minas and 13 years for Gileno Francisco Azevedo Anacleto for the attempted femicide of an ex-partner in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe. Furthermore, the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) reinstated an 18-year sentence for a man convicted of sexual abuse of a minor in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Other notable rulings include convictions for robbery-homicide, revenge shootings, and extortion in Porto Alegre, Santa Catarina, and Mato Grosso. In Maranhão, a rural producer was sentenced to over 24 years for tax evasion. Conversely, in Porto Seguro, a defendant was acquitted in a case involving the accidental killing of a former child actor due to insufficient evidence. Recent developments also include a 16-year sentence for the abuse of a student in Itacoatiara and a four-year sentence in Paraíso do Tocantins for the theft of parish tithes.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-12: Brazil issues multiple prison sentences for violent crimes

Brazil sees multiple high-profile criminal convictions, including a 28-year sentence for the murder of quilombola leader Mãe Bernadete and 15-year sentences for a gang rape in Rio de Janeiro.

32 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/salvador-trial-begins-for-accused-killer-of-quilombola-leader-me-bernadete

### 2026-10-07: Brazil: Multiple high-profile criminal convictions handed down

Multiple criminal convictions in Brazil include over 50 years for the murder of a Salvador hairdresser, 24 years for a major tax evasion case in Maranhão, and various sentences for femicide and robbery.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/salvador-hairdresser-murder-two-men-sentenced-to-over-50-years

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Cite as: Criminal convictions in Brazil. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/criminal-convictions-in-brazil