Two Estepona police officers were sentenced to two years in prison for sexually abusing an 18-year-old woman, a verdict reached after an investigation by Prensa Ibérica and the events channel OPEN CASE. The majority of the court accepted a settlement; Judge Pedro Molero, head of the eighth division of the Malaga Court, was in the minority and issued a special vote.
The ruling notes that the acts were highly serious and that the officers exploited their official status. The victim, who was intoxicated at the time, faced an environment of intimidation that amplified the harm she endured.
Alcohol control
On June 9, 2018, two officers, Juan Carlos Galve1n and Vicente Pee9a, known as Ken and El Trilero, aged 40 and 41, stopped the young woman and her friends during a breathalyzer check. They allegedly forgave a potential fine later when visiting her home. Although the men wore police uniforms, they behaved as private actors, taking the victim to her apartment and occupying it with the intent to pressure her upstairs, even using a private vehicle to reach the residence.
The dissenting opinion of Judge Molero describes how, upon being left alone with the young woman, the officers instructed her to remove her clothes, placed her on the kitchen counter, touched her breasts, and inserted fingers into her vagina without consent. The judge emphasizes that the conduct points to a planned wrongdoing by those in public service and highlights the danger to the public trust when officers abuse their positions.
Poor prognosis
The court refused to suspend the officers’ entry into prison. The individuals, now dismissed from the force, had faced questions about the potential for recurrence. The judge who dissented argued that there was insufficient data to suggest a low probability of reoffending; he stressed that no convict should act similarly in the future and opposed releasing the officers.
He recalled that the initial criminal penalty proposed by prosecutors for police officers was a lengthy prison term, and while an agreement among parties led to a two-year sentence with release, he maintained that the court must apply its own criteria, independently reflecting the interests of the victim and the seriousness of the crime.
Female bodyguard
Judge Molero underscored that the case falls outside the private sphere and into a public domain where important values are at stake. He stressed the obligation to prevent crimes and protect women, reinforcing the role of authorities in upholding safety and decision capacity for victims.
In his assessment, the available information did not rule out the possibility of future criminal danger. He argued that the release should be denied when considering crimes against sexual freedom. He did not view the two associates in court as equivalent and ultimately did not accept their release based on the circumstances surrounding the conduct and its impact on the victim.