August 30, 2024

On the eve of the one-year anniversary of his escape from Chester County Prison, convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante was sentenced to an additional 15-30 years in prison. Those years will be added to the life sentence he received for the murder of his girlfriend.

Cavalcante, 35, was sentenced last August to life plus two-and-a-half to five years for the murder of his girlfriend Deborah Brandao. He stabbed her 38 times after she threatened to let people know he was wanted in his home country of Brazil for a murder there in 2017.

But nine days after the sentence, on Aug. 31, 2023, he escaped and remained at large until the morning of Sept. 13 when he was captured.

During those two weeks, he was on the lam, Cavalcante broke into two homes and stole food, clothes, a truck, and a rifle. He also fired at the man from whom he stole the weapon.

The Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, sentencing was conducted before Judge Allison Bell Royer. It was a negotiated settlement between Pennsylvania Senior Deputy Attorney General Christopher Phillips and attorney Lonny Fish representing the defendant. Charges included one count of escape, two counts of burglary, and one count of illegally possessing a firearm.

The burglary charges each carry a 10-20-year sentence, but will be served concurrently, as will the escape charge which carries a sentence of three-and-a-half to seven years. The firearms possession carries a five- to 10-year sentence and will be served consecutively.

Cavalcante, dressed in an orange Department of Corrections jumpsuit, listened to the proceedings with the help of a translator and said he agreed with the sentence, and that no one had forced or paid him to accept the plea.

“This is a 15-30-year sentence on top of a life sentence,” said the judge. “This is now closure day.”

Cavalcante was returned to the CSI Greene maximum security prison in Franklin Township to serve his sentence.

Following the hearing, Phillips said, “We believe this sentence of 15-30 years is the right balance between justice for the citizens of Chester County and the needs of the community itself.”

Fish agreed with Phillis that the negotiated plea was right and that the two lawyers were on the same page from the beginning.

“Our focus was to make sure that he could get the best defense so the citizens of this county could be assured of the finality of this event. That’s what my role was here. The deal of 15-30 in a vacuum is a good deal for him,” Fish said, adding that he could have gotten a lot more time had they gone to trial and lost.

He also said the additional time is significant, even though the added time would run concurrently with the life sentence..

“I’ve gotten people serving life out, so, the reality is if that life sentence gets vacated, then he’s going to do those 15-30 years,” he said.

PennDOT has announced the following weather-dependent road projects that could affect drivers in the greater Chadds Ford area from Sept. 2 to Sept. 6. Motorists are urged to allow extra time traveling through one of the construction zones. Work schedules are subject to change.

• Beginning Monday, Sept. 9, and running through that week until Friday, Sept. 13, motorists should expect daytime lane closures on Routes 202 and 926 in Thornbury and Westtown townships as part of a road improvement project. A contractor will install a new southbound right-turn deceleration lane on Route 202 at the Route 926 intersection. An additional eastbound left-turn lane will be installed on Route 926, creating a double left-turn configuration along the eastbound approach to the intersection with Route 202. Other safety improvements include upgrading signalization and ADA curb ramps, as well as milling and paving operations.

• Utility installation will cause daytime lane closures at the intersection of Hillendale Road, Union Street/Kaolin Road, and Old Kennett Road in Kennett Township on Sept. 4 and 5.

• Overhead utility work will cause daytime lane shifts on Conchester Highway between Bed Lane and Foulk Road in Concord Township through Nov. 26. Also affected will be Smithbridge Road between Valleybrook Road and Conchester.

• Old Kennett Pike between Bayard and Burnt Mill roads will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5 for pipe replacement in Kennett Township. During the closure, motorists are directed to use Burnt Mill Road, Norway Road, Woodward Road, and Bayard Road.

• A high friction surface treatment will take place during daytime hours on Concord Road between Tuscany and Station roads in Concord Township from Aug. 19 through Nov. 23. Flaggers will control traffic flow.

• Roundabout construction will force a full road closure of Route 926 between Route 841 (Chatham Road. Coatesville Road) and Route 796 (Daleville Jennersville Road), in Londonderry, London Grove, and West Marlborough townships from Sept. 3 through Oct. 30. Detours will be posted.

• Roadway improvements will continue causing daytime single-lane closures on Route 1 between James Getty Lane and Pole Cat Road through Sept. 9.

• Construction continues to replace Twin Bridges, the South Creek Road bridge over the Brandywine between Chadds Ford and Pennsbury townships. Work is expected to continue through fall 2025. South Creek Road will be closed 1,200 feet south of Bullock Road and 1.1 miles north of Cossart Road. During the closure, motorists are directed to use U.S. 1, Route 52, Center Meeting Road, and Delaware State Route 100 (Montchanin Road). Bicyclists traveling Bike Route L will be directed to use Bullock Road, Ring Road, Ridge Road, and Delaware State roadway Smithbridge Road.