Man Sentenced to Over 13 Years for Child Sexual Abuse in Tocantins

A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison for the sexual abuse of a vulnerable minor in Araguaçu, southern Tocantins. The crimes, which began when the victim was five years old, reportedly continued for five years. The defendant, whose name has not been released, will not be allowed to appeal his sentence while out of custody. The Public Prosecutor's Office of Tocantins (MPTO) stated that the abuse spanned a significant period, with some offenses occurring in 2023 after the defendant had reached the age of majority. The court also ordered the man to pay R$ 20,000 in moral damages to the victim, a sum requested by the MP. During the legal proceedings, the defense attempted to argue that the defendant was a minor at the time of the offenses, but investigations disproved this claim. Evidence presented by prosecutor Jorge José Maria Neto included social media messages, expert reports, witness testimonies, and the victim's own statement. These elements collectively confirmed the repeated nature of the abuse. The judge noted the frequency of the offenses over the years and increased the sentence by two-thirds, an aggravating factor applied when a crime is proven to have occurred seven or more times.