Overview

• Brückner left custody Wednesday morning in Germany after completing a sentence for a 2005 rape committed in the Algarve.
• German prosecutor Christian Wolters says he could not lawfully block the release because the case does not yet meet the threshold for an indictment.
• Wolters describes Brückner as fundamentally dangerous and notes authorities cannot prevent a free person from traveling between countries.
• Brückner was acquitted this year on separate child sex-crime charges in the region, with prosecutors appealing and no new trial expected before 2026.
• Investigators say they have found no alibi or exculpatory evidence for Brückner and are still analyzing items seized during a June search in Portugal.