Brazil's Supreme Court convicts first defendant in January 8th trial to 17 years in prison

A Brazilian flag waves as seen behind broken glass at the Supreme Court building, following Brazil's anti-democratic riots, in Brasilia, Brazil, January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes/File photo

BRASILIA (Reuters) -The Brazilian Supreme Court voted on Thursday to convict the first person to stand trial for the storming of government buildings in the capital Brasilia on Jan. 8 to 17 years in prison.

A majority of the justices voted to convict Aecio Lucio Costa Pereira, a former employee of water utility Sabesp, who was arrested in the Senate building during the invasion, for crimes that include an attempted coup d'etat, armed criminal association and damage to historic buildings.