Suspect of threatening Minas Gerais deputies with death and rape is arrested

The task force made up of the Civil and Military Police of Minas Gerais (PMMG) and the state Public Ministry (MPMG), through the Special Action Group to Combat Cyber ​​Crimes (Gaeciber), launched this Tuesday (7 ), in Olinda (PE), the third phase of Operation Di@na. The action, which had the support of the Special Action Group against Organized Crime of the Public Ministry of Pernambuco (MPPE), resulted in the preventive arrest of the main person investigated for threats of rape and death against Minas Gerais state deputies Lohanna Souza França Moreira de Oliveira, Bella Gonçalves and Beatriz Cerqueira.

In the investigation, which began in August 2023, the Civil Police, the Public Ministry and the Military Police found that the threats were planned and executed in the context of forums and groups on the internet called chansvirtual spaces in which its members incited violence, pedophilia and necrophilia, posting images of rape, murder and mutilation and with extensive content of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Material seized during Operation Di@na investigations Disclosure/MPMG

In the previous phases, the task force, in compliance with precautionary measures determined by the Judiciary of Minas Gerais, collected several IT devices from the homes of other individuals being investigated.

Based on advanced cyber investigations and intense field work, it identified part of the users who are part of the chan linked to the conduct investigated and the main leader of the criminal group, user of nicknames Leon and Grow.

This suspect became the main person being investigated as responsible for the crimes committed against Minas Gerais parliamentarians and for coercing teenagers to self-mutilate and send him nude photos.

Preventive detention

This Tuesday’s action was triggered by the security forces of Minas Gerais, after identifying social media accounts used by the investigated Leon/Grow and obtaining his location, with the fulfillment of preventive detention and seizure of computers, telephones and pen drives with a large amount of material linked to the case.

The prisoner, by court order, will be taken to the Minas Gerais prison system, where he will face the process.

The name of the operation, Di@na, comes from the goddess Diana of mythology, who is the Goddess of hunting and protector of women and children. The @ refers to the cybercrimes investigated.