Sexual predator who changed his gender in apparent bid to serve his time in woman's prison arrested in Cuenca

The 40-year-old, identified by sources as Vicent L. G., had been on the run since early April after failing to appear at the Provincial Court of Castellón to begin an eight-year sentence for sexual assault.

According to the National Police, the fugitive employed a calculated legal strategy to vanish: registering a gender change to "female" in the Civil Registry. Investigators believe this was a deliberate attempt to make his identification harder, reset his legal status, and ultimately influence which type of prison facility he would be sent to.

The breakthrough came when specialised Homicide and Fugitive units tracked the individual to a luxury villa in the small municipality of Montalbo, Cuenca. The property was being used as a safe house provided by the suspect’s current partner.

Despite the suspect's efforts to remain hidden, police stormed the villa on Thursday, ending 28 days of international search. The arrest was described as a high-stakes operation due to the "dangerous and unpredictable" nature of the convict.

The fugitive’s criminal record is extensive and disturbing. He was sentenced for multiple counts of sexual assault and coercion, most notably involving a 21-year-old woman. In that case, he used fake job advertisements to lure the victim before forcing her to record sexual content.

Authorities revealed that the individual has roughly 40 prior complaints against him. His "modus operandi" frequently involved impersonating police officers to intimidate, manipulate, and exert control over his victims. Psychiatric evaluations cited by the police during the investigation described him as having a "psychopathic profile" with a total lack of empathy.

The suspect's legal transition has sparked significant debate regarding Spain's so-called "Trans Law" and its potential for abuse by criminals. However, judicial experts suggest that the move will likely be treated as a "fraude de ley" (fraud of the law).

Because the crimes were committed - and the original sentence handed down - prior to the gender change, he is expected to be processed based on his status at the time of the offences.

The National Police explicitly stated that the gender change was a "procedural manoeuvre" designed to bypass the justice system. The prisoner has now been transferred to judicial custody to begin his eight-year sentence immediately.