Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco appeared in courtroom Monday, June 2, within the Dominican Republic, the place he’s going through grave fees together with sexual abuse of a minor, human trafficking, and business exploitation. The trial stems from allegations involving a 14-year-old woman, marking a dramatic fall from grace for the once-promising MLB All-Star.
Franco, 24, had been having fun with a breakout season in 2023 earlier than allegations surfaced that he was engaged in a bootleg relationship with the underage woman. Prosecutors allege that Franco, by his mom Yudelka Aybar, transferred the equal of $17,000 to the woman’s mom in trade for her consent to the connection. That mom has since been charged with cash laundering and is at present below home arrest.
The proceedings, initially scheduled for December 2024, have been postponed when a number of key witnesses failed to seem. Regardless of objections from Franco’s authorized workforce, who cited scheduling conflicts together with his obligations to report back to spring coaching, the courtroom dominated that the trial would proceed with out additional delay. Choose Yacaira Veras emphasised that Franco’s conditional launch hinges on compliance with the trial timeline.
In keeping with paperwork offered to the courtroom, the minor’s mom reportedly skilled a fast change in life-style after receiving the funds, buying property and huge quantities of money allegedly delivered by Franco. Authorities say they recovered over $100,000 in Dominican and U.S. foreign money throughout a raid on her residence.
Franco spoke briefly on the opening day of the trial, telling the judges, “I heard all they mentioned, however I wished to say that justice have to be finished,” earlier than declining additional remark to the press. Choose Pascual Valenzuela beforehand dominated that the proof was adequate to proceed to trial following a year-long investigation.
Separate from these fees, Franco was additionally arrested in November 2024 for allegedly possessing a firearm illegally after a heated confrontation in a parking zone. Police recovered two firearms, one registered to Franco’s uncle. Whereas Franco was once more granted supervised launch, he should report back to courtroom month-to-month. A conviction in that case might end in a further three to 5 years in jail.
Franco’s authorized troubles have impacted his MLB profession considerably. He signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays in 2021 however was positioned on administrative go away in August 2023 because the preliminary investigation started. Beneath the league’s coverage on home violence, sexual assault, and baby abuse, he was paid throughout that point. As soon as formal fees have been filed in July 2024, MLB moved Franco to the restricted checklist, halting his wage, which had already been diminished to half of his unique $2 million for the 2024 season.
Now going through the opportunity of a jail sentence of as much as 30 years if convicted, Franco’s once-promising future in skilled baseball hangs within the steadiness. Because the trial unfolds, each Main League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays stay publicly silent on the matter, pending the result of the authorized proceedings.
