State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Ednaldo Souza De Almeida entered a pre-trial plea to four counts of Lewd Or Lascivious Molestation By Person 18 Years Of Age Or Older Upon A Child Less Than 12 Years Of Age, and one count of Lewd or Lascivious Conduct By Person 18 Years of Age or Older Upon a Child Less Than 16 Years of Age (Solicitation). The crimes were committed from October 1, 2021, to July 14, 2024, and investigated by Sarasota Police Department. The Defendant entered the plea at the Sarasota County Courthouse on March 24, 2026, before the Honorable Thomas W. Krug.
The first four counts carry a maximum possible sentence of life, and Count 4 carries a maximum possible sentence of 15 years.
The minimum mandatory sentence for the first four counts is 25 years.
The Honorable Thomas W. Krug sentenced the 46-year-old Defendant to 50 years in prison for Counts 1-4 and 15 years in prison for Count 5. The court designated the Defendant as a Sexual Predator. Following prison, the Defendant will be on lifetime sex offender probation and must have no contact with the victims in this case.
On July 14, 2024, Sarasota Police Department responded to a call of sexual battery. Detectives discovered that the Defendant molested his family member’s 10-year-old friend while family and friends gathered at his residence to plan a camping trip. Her disclosure led to a family member also revealing years of ongoing sexual abuse which began when she was 5 years old. The Defendant silenced the family member by threatening her that if the child ever told anyone, her family would no longer have any financial means and that she would be left alone in the world after he killed her mother and brothers.
The prosecutors in the case, Assistant State Attorney Lissa MacDonald and Ethan Dunn commented,
“The two young children demonstrated great bravery and strength by disclosing what they suffered at the Defendant’s hands to Sarasota Police officers. Their bravery along with the diligent investigation efforts of the Sarasota Police Department empowered these girls to protect countless other children from this sexual predator.”
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant
State Attorney Lissa MacDonald in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.