The family members of Physical Education student Pedro Henrique Sales, 21, arrested on suspicion of sexual harassment after being caught masturbating while watching a resident in the gym of a condominium in Feira de Santana (BA), may also face legal consequences. According to delegate Lorena Almeida, head of the Special Police Station for Women's Assistance (Deam), there is evidence that relatives of the person under investigation contributed to his escape and hid his whereabouts after the crime.
Family of man who masturbated at gym accused of covering him up
The family members of Physical Education student Pedro Henrique Sales, 21, arrested on suspicion of sexual harassment after being caught masturbating while watching a resident in the gym of a condominium in Feira de...
In an interview given after the young man's arrest, held on Friday (24), five days after the episode, the delegate stated that these circumstances are being investigated by the Civil Police. If it is proven that family members helped Pedro Henrique escape or made it difficult to locate him, they could be criminally liable for favoritism.
Pedro Henrique was found in a house under construction in the city of Simões Filho, in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador. There was a preventive arrest warrant issued against him by the Court. Since the incident was recorded, the police began an investigation to gather evidence about who committed the crime and find out where the suspect was hiding.
According to Lorena Almeida, the student demonstrated, from the beginning, his intention to avoid criminal liability. When the police approached, he tried to escape again. According to the delegate, Pedro Henrique used a passage that led to a wooded area next to the property where he was hiding, threw debris at the agents and resisted arrest, but ended up being captured.
The delegate highlighted that this attempt to escape could be considered by the courts as an element in favor of maintaining preventive detention. She also explained that both family members and the defense were informed that, if the person under investigation had presented himself to the police spontaneously, the legal situation could be different. According to Lorena, despite the great repercussion of the case, the arrest is not based on popular pressure, but on the behavior adopted by the suspect when fleeing and trying to remain out of reach of the authorities.
After arrest, Pedro Henrique was taken to the Feira de Santana Police Station Complex, where he awaits a custody hearing scheduled for Monday (27). During his testimony, he exercised his constitutional right to remain silent.
The case happened last Sunday (19), when the student was filmed masturbating while watching a neighbor who was exercising in the gym of the condominium located in the SIM neighborhood. According to the investigation, upon realizing that he was being recorded by the victim, he quickly left the residence and was sought by the police.
The investigation remains under the responsibility of the Deam of Feira de Santana and is being processed in secret. In parallel with the investigations, the residents of the condominium decided to take administrative measures. Also on Friday (24), a remote assembly approved the exclusion of Pedro Henrique from the residence.
According to the condominium administration, the majority of condominium owners authorized the legal action necessary to carry out the expulsion, citing the need to preserve safety, tranquility and coexistence among residents. Furthermore, the opening of an internal administrative proceeding against the person being investigated was approved. Voting was carried out via an application and closed last Friday night.
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