Wander Franco, the shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays, is set to stand trial on Thursday in the Dominican Republic regarding allegations of sexual abuse involving a 14-year-old girl.
Franco, now at the age of 23, was enjoying a prominent All-Star season in 2023 when Dominican authorities launched an investigation into claims suggesting that he had engaged in a relationship with a minor and allegedly paid her mother a significant sum for consent.
Here are the key details regarding the upcoming trial:
**What are the allegations against Wander Franco?**
Franco faces multiple charges, including sexual abuse of a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation of a minor, and human trafficking. Following a year-long investigation, Judge Pascual Valenzuela from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, ruled in September that sufficient evidence existed for the case to proceed to trial.
Court documents, which prosecutors submitted in July, indicated that Franco, through his mother, transferred approximately 1 million pesos (around $17,000) to the victim’s mother on January 5, 2023, purportedly to gain consent for abuse. The mother herself has been charged with money laundering and is currently under house arrest.
The prosecution alleges that the mother of the victim transitioned from working as a bank employee to living a life of luxury and accumulating wealth with the financial support provided by Franco. Investigators reportedly discovered sums of $68,500 and $35,000 during searches of her residence that they claim were funds given by Franco.
After the September hearing, Franco commented that “everything is in God’s hands” but has refrained from engaging with media.
**When will the trial take place?**
The trial is scheduled for December 12 and will occur in a court located in Puerto Plata. The case will be adjudicated by either a panel of three or five judges, as jury trials are not conducted in the Dominican Republic. The judges will hear arguments from both parties, witness testimonies, review the evidence, and subsequently issue a verdict. Given the average length of trials in the country, the proceedings could stretch over eight months.
**What is the potential sentence if he is found guilty?**
A conviction could lead to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, depending on the determination of the court.
**Is Franco currently incarcerated?**
Franco has not been in custody but is on supervised release, which requires him to make monthly check-ins with the judge.
In November, he was arrested again for illegally possessing a weapon in his car following a dispute in a parking lot. In connection with this incident, two other individuals were also apprehended, and two firearms were confiscated. Judge Viamerca Ruiz ordered that Franco must report to court monthly in relation to the firearm investigation, which involves a gun registered under his uncle’s name. One of Franco’s legal representatives asserted that the firearm is licensed, indicating no legal breach occurred.
Should he be convicted for illegal firearm possession, Franco could face an additional three to five-year prison term.
**Is Franco still receiving a salary?**
Currently, Franco is not on a payroll, although he continued to be compensated for almost a year following the commencement of the investigation by Dominican authorities.
In 2021, Franco signed an 11-year contract valued at $182 million with the Rays, and he was initially placed on the restricted list and subsequently administrative leave in August 2023 as the investigation got underway. Because administrative leave does not equate to punishment under Major League Baseball’s policies addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse, Franco was still paid during this period.
As there is no official leave during the offseason, he was again put on administrative leave at the start of the 2024 season until prosecutors lodged the current charges on July 10. At this juncture, MLB placed him on the restricted list, halting his salary payments resulting from the previous administrative leave.
During his administrative leave, he reportedly received 50% of his salary, which amounted to $559,140 over 104 days of the 186-day season, according to an anonymous source.
Major League Baseball is expected to await the conclusion of the trial in the Dominican Republic before making any determinations regarding disciplinary actions against Franco.