Former Masterchef participant Jason de Souza Junior receives 12 years for raping a 12-year-old girl in Florianópolis

The Santa Catarina Court sentenced chef Jason de Souza Junior to 12 years in prison for the rape of a 12-year-old girl. The crime occurred on December 31, 2024, in the Trindade neighborhood, in Florianópolis, close to the Federal University of Santa Catarina. The decision was handed down on October 1, 2025 and confirmed by the victim’s family and the defendant’s defense.

Jason de Souza Junior, former participant in the ninth season of the reality show Masterchef in 2022, was arrested red-handed the day after the crime, in Palhoça. He has remained detained in the Capital Men’s Prison since then.

The victim’s aunt expressed relief with the sentence, highlighting the girl’s weekly psychological support since the incident.

Circumstances of the crime

The girl was approached by the chef at the door of her house, without knowing him beforehand. He forced her into the vehicle at gunpoint.

He then took her to the UFSC campus, where he committed the rape. He then returned with her to the region close to the residence and left her, ordering silence under penalty of death.

The victim reported the incident to her family, who took her to the hospital and called the police.

Recognition and arrest

Police officers identified Jason de Souza Junior based on physical characteristics described by the girl, such as a scar on his stomach and beard. His vehicle was also located.

The arrest in the act took place in Palhoça, in Grande Florianópolis. The Civil Police investigation confirmed injuries to the victim’s private parts through expert examination.

The custody hearing converted the detention into preventive detention, and the process was carried out in secret.

Participation in Masterchef

Jason de Souza Junior was part of the 2022 edition of Masterchef, reaching the top 5. He stood out with recipes such as ribs, included in the restaurant chain’s menu.

Before the program, he worked as a businessman in construction and taught gastronomy classes at a school in São José. Born in Florianópolis, he is married and father of two daughters.

During the reality show, he cooked as an amateur and played guitar in a gospel band.

Defense position

The defense denies committing the crime and announces an appeal against the sentence. It argues that the decision was based exclusively on the victim’s testimony, contradicting other evidence.

Lawyer Marcos Paulo Poeta dos Santos says he has confidence in the courts to reverse the conviction. Initially, he claimed to have met via a dating app, with an alleged lie about the girl’s age.

Jason remained silent during police interrogation.

Victim tracking

The family is grateful for the police work, which acted quickly despite the festive season. Agents abandoned families to arrest the suspect.

The girl receives weekly psychiatric care to deal with the effects of the trauma. The Penal Code provides for a sentence of 8 to 15 years for rape of a vulnerable person, with aggravating injuries.

• The presence of serious injuries increases the sentence to 10 to 20 years.
• The victim’s death could result in 12 to 30 years in prison.