Brazil court convicts 3 for rape of American
8/15/2013RIO DE JANEIRO — A court has convicted three men in the gang rape of an American woman aboard a Rio de Janeiro public transit van.
The court on Wednesday sentenced Jonathan Froudakis de Souza, 20, and Walace Aparecido de Souza Silva, 21, each to 49 years and three months in prison on rape, robbery and extortion charges. A third man was sentenced to 21 years and a minor has yet to be tried.
The attack occurred March 30 after the American and her French boyfriend boarded a van in Rio’s showcase Copacabana neighborhood. The van operators robbed the passengers and forced the others to get off, then beat the Frenchman while repeatedly raping the woman.
The pair was dumped in a Rio suburb after the hours-long ordeal.