Brazil - Brazzil Mag - Brazil Arrests American Charged with Pedophilia in Copacabana

The little Brazilian boy, 9, told his classmate what the old man had done to him. His colleague went on and told the teacher, who told the boy's father, who told the Police, who arrested American Edward John Weber, 59, charging him with molesting a minor.

According to the police, when they arrived to the man's place, in Copacabana, in the south zone of Rio de Janeiro, they found a computer filled with pornographic pictures of minors.

In addition to child pornography they also found a small quantity of marijuana, several phallic objects sculpted in soapstone and other erotic material.

After being detained for a short period at Leme's 12nd precinct, Weber was transferred to the Polinter (Interstate Police Station) while the Brazilian authorities decide in which jail to keep him during the investigation of the pedophilia case.

The police, who say that the American is married and has been living in Brazil for five years, started investigating the case after the father of the little boy who is believed to have been molested filed a complaint against him.

The father knows Weber very well since he is his landlord. The man charged with child molestation lives in a room in the rear of the father's house.

The Copacabana police chief, Monique Vidal, requested from the judge and was granted 30-day preventive arrest against Edwards in addition to an order to apprehend and examine the American's computer. The police believe their man has an Internet site dedicated to child pornography.

dead right.....
written by ch.c., August 24, 2006

...to arrest and put such a guy in jail.

But then why dont your Justice do the same when Brazilians are involved ? IT IS QUITE WELL KNOWN that many more brazilians are pedophils. If one disagrees with my statements....just read the articles on this same site on Orkut. It is also quite well known that many businessmen, AND politicians wether high levels or local levels (municipalities) participates in parties involving several children. Very few of these pedophils go to jail, your justice does nothing and to hide things even more your medias do few articles on that subject when Brazilians are involved but a big fanfare when a foreigner is involved.

This demonstrate that Your Justice has always 2 speeds :
- 2 justices to differentiate the wealthy Brazilians and your politicians versus the poor Brazilian.
- 2 justices to differentiate a Brazilian versus a foreigner.

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BS
written by Marco, August 25, 2006

The comment "dead right" is a tremedous BS.
1- Brazilians don't support child molestation. Brazil has one of the most strict set of laws about that and they are strongly enforced, no matter if the criminal is a Brazilian, American or European.
2- There is no excuse for pedophilia. To claim that Brazilians do it and are not caught while Americans are, is a lame excuse to a hideous crime
3- There is crime and corruption everywhere, involving politicians and authorities. It is a shame to label Brazil when we all know that the same happens everywhere. Brazil is fighting hard, with very limited resources, to halt crime and corruption. It is not easy, there is still a lot of it around, but lets support the effort instead of using it as an excuse to violate the law.
4- Many developing countries, including Brazil, are perceived by foreigners as a sex paradise, where any and everything goes. Although Brazil tolerates prostitution, there is zero tolerance to sex involving minors.

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The bigger picture
written by darmanad, August 25, 2006

Whether upper social classes or politicians get away with more "significant "crime than poor folks or foreigners in Brasil is really not in dispute. Whether that also applies to pedophilia may be. I'd be interested to know what facts the origininal poster relies upon.
What is not at all in dispute is that the level of corruption and crime in general in Brasil is out of control.Politicians steal with impunity. Street crime is rampant.And the justice system is abysmally ineffective. New laws are needed, but the legislators are not going to pass any laws that would interfere with their privileges and rape of the common folks. University students who should be organized as a force for change seem to be asleep. The majority of the population is too uneducated, ignorant and concerned with making ends meet to think politically. Lula spoke a good game but hasn't done much too change the quality of life for any but the Haves and Have-Mores.Rio de Janeiro will self destruct in 10 years when the favelas take over zona sul.

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In this case justified
written by Steve, August 25, 2006

In this case the arrest was justified but there is no excuse for not lowering the age to 16 which is the legal voting age in Brasil and where the majority of these complaints eminate from.

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Ohhhhhh yesssssss.........
written by ch.c., August 25, 2006

Brazil has many many good laws written :
- corruption is illegal and punishable.
- impunity is illegal and punishable
- crime is illegal and punishable
- red tape is illegal and punishable
- tax evasion is illegal and punishable
- slavery is illegal and punishable
- pedophilia is illegal even for Brazilian elites (for businessmen and state/municipal politicians included)
- vote buying is illegal and punishable

Correct ???????

Thus why are the laws not applied ?

Thus what/who is BS ? Your laws or your Justice ?
You know, writing laws is easy, but writing laws and applying them only for 90 % of the population.......because the other 10 % are "special" and "untouchable" people, just make your laws worthless.

It is quite well known in Brazil...that the Justice is applied ONLY to the "regular" citizens : the poors ! But if you have money, personal political or government connections, or be a politician yourself.............then the law is applied differently : NOOOOOOOO jail because never guilty ! Simple.

Looks like your watch more your TV soap operas than read the news on this site or elsewhere.
Just go to the magazine articles of this site and scroll down.

And finally to Steve : looks like you enjoy sex with youths ! Are you in your fifties and wish to have legal sex with the voting age people in Brazil ????

I repeat : laws are good PROVIDED they are applied to EVERY citizen, regardless of his social and/or political grade !!! Simple.
And unfortunately that is not the case in Brazil.

What make me laugh, is that the Brazilian society repeatedly re-elect the people who have stolen their money !

Looks like Brazilians are Masochists by nature : The more politicians steal their money, the easiest these politicians will be re-elected ! Thus who and why anyone has the smallest hope that this will end....by definition, since you reward the ones you elected and who betray you on a daily basis ?????

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...
written by Charles Scott, August 25, 2006

Mr. Dead right, you are dead wrong. This guy needs to be severely punished for destroying the young boy's life. He has harmed that boy in an unforgiving way. He should be skinned alive.

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wait
written by V, August 26, 2006

Lets wait to see if the charges are true. In Rio, the longest part of the police investigation determines the size of the guy's bank account. Note "Ed the Ped", a different Ed, has paid off the police twice and still walks the streets of Rio after being caught with an eleven year old girl.

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Crows Cage in the Public Square
written by MAXIMUS IV, August 29, 2006

He should be locked up naked in a Crows Cage in a very public square with his crime prominently displayed for all to see. Let the birds PECK AWAY at his head, ass, hands, and feet. Let the flies and gnats buzz around him while still alive.

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shame on you
written by Marco Valadares, August 29, 2006

Pedophils are around the world, not only in Brazil. The justice and politics in Brazi are poor and disgusting, I agree. But you could be more polite and say words with a tone of ethics not generalizing brazilian people as criminals. The american guy reported in the news used to live at my building and was caused many problems to anyone who lives here. Since you do not know the guy and much less the brazilian people you should not say words that can hurt brazilians.
I know my country have a lot of poorness, lack of education, but we ARE NOT a lot of pedophils, I am not a politician and I do not vote on that politicians that steal money. And I am a Brazilian, and I am not exception.
I just came here to look for the news, exactly because this guy cause a lot of problems to many people who lives in a peaceful building and what I find? preconception with brazilian people... By whom? Who are those americans that says something so hard without knowing our reality well.
How many times do you came here and talk with a brazilian about our reality. I think I´ve been at United States for not less than 10 times for the last 10 years. I made friends not preconception. We are very, very different, not better. I can speak your language and many more, I try to understand you culture, not criticize it. I am honest, not a criminal.
When you start looking for yourself to criticize pedophilia and not to defend a criminal act by judging brazilian people you we be near that what I expect for the most powerful and best people in the world... Americans!!!
I am very sorry if I hurt someone´s feeling with my words but I would like to make it clear that I do not have any intention to generalize my argument. I am sure some like "ch.c" will know the message is direct to him and his opinions, not with the intention to critize americans in any way.

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You guys shut the **** up!!
written by Karina carvalho, November 04, 2006

There are some bitches that keep talking shit about Brasil.. but the thing is: there is corruption, drug dealers etc in every country!! You cant be talking about Brasil because it shows on the news all the time. But if you look closely and research there is a percent that the most crazy insane please are from United States... You dont see it because government dont want you to see it!!! Brasil is the most wonderful place in the world and they treat you good instead of americans

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