Brother of PCC leader Marcola denied habeas corpus, remains jailed for money laundering
The São Paulo Court of Justice (TJ-SP) has denied a habeas corpus petition for Alejandro Juvenal Herbas Camacho Júnior, also known as "Gordão" and "Marcolinha." Camacho Júnior is the brother of Marco Willians Herbas Camacho, the leader of the criminal faction PCC, and is accused of being the true owner of a transport company in Presidente Venceslau used for the faction's financial schemes. The investigation, dubbed Operation Vérnix, targets a money laundering operation for the PCC, which has allegedly moved R$20 million. This case also led to the arrest of digital influencer Deolane Bezerra.
Camacho Júnior's defense argued that his preventive detention was illegal due to various reasons, including the lack of a custody hearing within the 24-hour legal timeframe and the perceived lack of practical utility since he was already imprisoned in a federal penitentiary. They also claimed the decision lacked individualized grounds, attributing responsibility solely based on his position within the PCC without specifying concrete actions. Furthermore, the defense cited a lack of contemporaneity, as the investigated events dated back to 2021 and 2022, while the preventive detention order was issued in May 2026.
However, the reporting judge dismissed these arguments. The court found that the preventive detention was sufficiently substantiated by concrete evidence from the investigation, including phone intercepts and financial intelligence reports, suggesting Camacho Júnior exercised control over the transport company even while incarcerated. The court also rejected the argument that the detention was unnecessary, stating that both Alejandro and Marcola allegedly continued to command the criminal scheme from prison. The judge concluded that the permanent nature of money laundering and criminal organization crimes justified the detention, as illicit activities appeared to have continued over time, posing a risk to public order and the continuity of criminal activities. The habeas corpus was denied, upholding the preventive detention.
This judicial decision underscores the challenges in prosecuting complex financial crimes orchestrated by organized criminal groups, particularly when leaders remain influential even from within correctional facilities. The court's reasoning highlights the legal framework's adaptation to persistent criminal activity, where the nature of offenses like money laundering can extend beyond discrete events to ongoing operations. The defense's arguments regarding procedural technicalities and the timing of evidence versus detention orders reflect common legal challenges in such cases. The ruling emphasizes that continued command and control, evidenced by financial intelligence and intercepted communications, can justify preventive detention to safeguard public order and disrupt ongoing illicit enterprises, even if the individual is already incarcerated. This case illustrates the tension between due process rights and the imperative to dismantle sophisticated criminal networks that leverage remote or indirect control mechanisms.
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