On Tuesday morning (22) in Meleiru, south of Santa Catarina, a 20-year-old man was arrested for crimes related to rape of vulnerable populations, online sexual exploitation of children, and the production and distribution of child pornography.

Child pornography content was posted on a dark web forum – Photo: Federal Police/ND Disclosure

The arrest was made by federal police in Crisium while executing two search and arrest warrants issued by a federal judge at homes located in Meleiro.

The investigation began in August after a suspect posted a video showing a 6-7 year old girl being sexually assaulted by him. The post was made by the suspect on a darknet forum (the darkest layer of the Internet, favoring anonymity and cybercrime, since the content is not indexed by search engines and requires special software or access authorization).

With the help of the Victim Identification Task Force and cyber-investigation techniques, the federal police identified the victim, the suspect, and the location of the rape.

During the searches, computer equipment, cell phones and data carriers were confiscated. During preliminary analysis, images and videos containing scenes of child pornography were found on the site, which were distributed on the dark web.

According to the PF, the young man was caught red-handed and will be held responsible for crimes related to the rape of low-income persons, the production and distribution of pornographic materials for children and adolescents, and others listed in the Law on Children and Adolescents. The cumulative punishment for crimes can be up to 33 years in prison.