The Minister of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Lewandowski, said this Thursday afternoon (4) that the fugitives from the federal penitentiary of Mossoró (RN), captured this morning, planned to go abroad. “Fugitives were on a crime train”, stated the head of the ministry, who spoke of a “victory for the security forces”. Four more suspects of assisting in the escape were arrested. A rifle was seized from them, according to the PRF (Federal Highway Police).
“They were arrested on a bridge [em Marabá (PA)]. This bridge was closed on both sides”, declared the minister. “It was an extremely successful operation. Not a shot was fired, no injuries, no deaths,” he celebrated.
“They will return to where they left, in Mossoró.” The minister stated that the structure of the prison had been corrected and that the problems that led to the escape of inmates had been resolved.
“I want to state that it is a victory for the Brazilian State, for the Brazilian security forces, which demonstrates that organized crime in our country will not be successful”, celebrated the minister. We demonstrated this when we uncovered the crime of councilor Marielle [Franco]an intelligence project led by the Federal Police, MPF [Ministério Público Federal] and MP [Ministério Público] state, showing that the coordination of forces leads to success”, said the holder of the Justice and Public Security portfolio.
Catch
The two fugitives from the federal penitentiary of Mossoró (RN) were captured this Thursday (4), 50 days after their escape. Rogério da Silva Mendonça, 35 years old, and Deibson Cabral Nascimento, 33, were found in Marabá (PA) during a joint action by the Federal Police and the PRF (Federal Highway Police). They escaped from prison in the early hours of February 14th. The escape was the first since the implementation of the Federal Penitentiary System in Brazil in 2006.
The search for the detainees involved at least 600 agents. Since escaping from prison, the fugitives have been seen on several occasions. Two days after escaping, the men allegedly took a family hostage in the rural area of Mossoró. That day, the police also found, in a wooded area, footprints, shoes, clothes, sheets and a rope, as well as a prison uniform t-shirt.
The task force dedicated to the capture found, on February 25, a possible hiding place where the fugitives remained for a few days, close to the prison. A machete, a tarp and food packaging were discovered at the scene.
On February 27, the fugitives were spotted in a village in Rio Grande do Norte, where residents recognized them. Before the police could intervene, they returned to the woods. A reward of R$30,000 was offered by the Federal Police for information leading to his capture.
First federal prison escape
The inmates had access to tools used in the renovation that the unit is undergoing. For the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Lewandowski, a “series of factors” led to the escape, such as construction flaws in the prison structure and lack of functioning cameras and lamps.
The two prisoners escaped through the lamp on a side wall of the cell. After crossing the opening, the fugitives climbed the shaft — internal space for the passage of pipes and electrical installations — up to the ceiling, where they broke a metal grate and reached the prison roof.
“Instead of the luminaire and the surrounding area being protected by a concrete slab, it was closed by a simple common masonry work. Another problem concerns the construction technique and the project. When the fugitives left through the luminaire, they entered what is called a shaftwhere the prison is maintained, with machines, pipes and wiring”, explained the minister.
“It's a question of design. Whoever did it should have imagined that the protection should have been more efficient”, assessed Lewandowski. For the minister, the fact that the criminals' action took place in the early hours of Carnival Tuesday to Ash Wednesday may have facilitated the operation, because “people tend to be more relaxed” during this period.
Penitentiary structure
The Mossoró penitentiary has a total area of 12,300 m². According to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, inmates are kept in individual cells, equipped with a bedroom, toilet, sink, shower, table and seat. There are no sockets or electronic equipment.
In federal penitentiaries, there are basic health units, and all primary care is provided by the local team of specialists and technicians. There are also offices for lawyers and videoconference rooms for participation in court hearings.
To be transferred to the federal penitentiary system, prisoners must have a leadership position or commit a crime that puts their physical integrity at risk in the common prison; join a gang involved in crimes involving violence or serious threats; be defendants who are collaborators or award-winning whistleblowers with a risk to their physical integrity; or be involved in escapes, violence or serious indiscipline in the prison of origin.
