Colonel Mário Pantoja, the commander of the military police, was condemned to 228 years in prison for his role in the massacre of landless peasants at Eldorado dos Carajás that occurred on April 17, 1996. Military police Captain Raimundo Lameira was absolved in the case. The judgment was handed down on May 16, 2002 with 6 of the 7 jury members voted to condemn Pantoja, who will serve 12 years for each of the deaths at Eldorado.

The third police official will stand trial on May 22. In all, there are 150 military police accused in the massacre.