Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is set to stand trial Thursday in the Dominican Republic on charges related to a sexual abuse case involving a 14-year-old girl.
Franco, now 23, was in the midst of an All-Star season in 2023 when Dominican authorities launched an investigation into allegations that he had been involved in a relationship with a minor and had paid the girl’s mother thousands of dollars for her consent.
The shortstop has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and humas trafficking.
Investigations stretched over a year, which led to a judge from the northern province of Puerto Plata ruling in September that the evidence presented by prosecutors was enough to move the case to trial.
The Associated Press reported that prosecutors presented documents to judge Pascual Valenzuela in July that alleged Franco transferred one million pesos, or $17,000, to the mother of the minor on Jan. 5, 2023, for her consent to the abuse.
The mother of the minor has reportedly been charged with money laundering and is currently under house arrest.
Prosecutors said that the minor's mother was a bank employee before leading an "ostentatious life" and acquiring assets using the funds she received from Franco.
During raids on the house of the minor's mother, prosecutors said they located $68,500 and $35,000 that they allege was delivered by Franco himself.
In 2021, Franco signed a monster $182 million, 11-year contract with Tampa Bay after just 70 games in his major league career. He currently finds himself on the Tampa Bay Rays restricted list, which means he is not being paid.
Franco was briefly placed on the restricted list and then administrative leave in August 2023 when Dominican authorities opened their investigation.
Because administrative leave is not disciplinary under the sport’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, Franco was paid during that time.
Now, Franco will face the music as his case will be heard by either three or five judges on Thursday. There are no jury trials in the Dominican Republic.
Both sides will present their arguments to the judge and witnesses will give their testimonies before the judge analyzes the evidence and delivers a verdict.
The trial could take up to eight months in total to come to an end, based on the average length of trials in the Dominican Republic.
According to reports, Franco could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Additionally, Franco was arrested and granted another supervised release in November for illegally carrying a gun in his car.
A conviction for illegally possessing a firearm could lead to a three-to five-year prison sentence.
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