Ronnie Lessa received a longer sentence for disappearing with the weapons used in Marielle's murder.

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The judges of the First Criminal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro unanimously decided to increase Ronnie Lessa’s sentence.

In this case, he is accused of the disappearance of the weapons used during the assassination of councilor Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes, in March 2018.

The panel rejected a request from the defendants’ defense and decided not to replace the defendants’ imprisonment with restrictive sentences. With this new decision, Ronnie Lessa was sentenced to five years in prison, in addition to a 16-day fine.

Ronnie’s wife, Elaine Pereira Figueiredo, and other defendants in the case also had their sentences extended.

A CNN contacted the defense of the former police officer and is awaiting a response.

Who is Ronnie Lessa

Ronnie Lessa is named executor of Marielle and Anderson’s estate. Lessa is a retired military police sergeant from Rio de Janeiro. The former police officer is also accused of maintaining relationships with criminal schemes and militia members.

In March 2019, a year after the crime, former military police officers Élcio de Queiroz and Ronnie Lessa were arrested, accused respectively of driving the vehicle used the night of the crime and of shooting the victims.

Lessa is suspected of having fired thirteen rounds from an HK MP5 submachine gun at the car where the victims were.

In July this year, federal police arrested former firefighter Maxwell Simões Corrêa, known as Suel, who allegedly helped hide weapons from Ronnie Lessa.