Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was discovered responsible of sexual abuse of a minor within the Dominican Republic after he had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old woman when he was 21 and obtained a suspended two-year jail sentence Thursday.
Whereas prosecutors sought a five-year sentence, Decide Jakayra Veras stated Franco wouldn’t serve additional jail time until he ran afoul of sure situations, together with not contacting minors with sexual intentions.
The mom of the sufferer, Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte, was convicted of sexually trafficking her daughter and sentenced to 10 years in jail after prosecutors proved she sought monetary positive aspects from Franco and laundered cash.
Franco, who’s at the moment on Main League Baseball’s restricted checklist for failure to report back to the crew, is more likely to have issue receiving a piece visa in the USA due to the conviction. Ought to he not have the ability to safe the visa, he would stay on the restricted checklist. So long as Franco is on the restricted checklist, the Rays wouldn’t be required to pay the salaries from his 11-year, $182 million contract.
MLB’s investigation into Franco stays open. He may very well be additional disciplined underneath the league’s home violence, sexual assault and baby abuse coverage.
“Main League Baseball is proud to have a collectively bargained Joint Home Violence, Sexual Assault and Baby Abuse Coverage that displays our dedication to those points,” the league stated in a press release. “We’re conscious of right this moment’s verdict within the Wander Franco trial and can conclude our investigation on the acceptable time.”
Social media posts in August 2023 alleged that Franco had been in an inappropriate relationship with a teenaged woman. Whereas Franco denied the allegations, MLB and the MLB Gamers Affiliation struck a deal to position him on paid administrative depart. He remained there till he was charged in July 2024, at which level MLB positioned him on the restricted checklist.
Franco met the woman on-line and had intercourse together with her twice in December 2022, in response to prosecutors. To see her in particular person, he would ship helicopters or automobiles to choose her up close to her hometown of Puerto Plata and produce her to his dwelling in Bani. When police raided the woman’s dwelling, they discovered $68,500 in American money and one other 800,000 Dominican pesos (round $13,700), in response to prosecutors.
At one level the highest prospect in baseball, Franco debuted at 20 years outdated in 2021 and was a right away star for Tampa Bay, which had signed him as a 16-year-old for $3.8 million. Following his second season, the Rays locked him as much as a long-term deal, the biggest in franchise historical past. Franco was within the midst of a breakout season in 2023, when he was named an All-Star for the primary time, earlier than the allegations stunted his profession.
In an unrelated occasion, Franco was charged in June by prosecutors within the Dominican Republic for unlawful possession of a handgun after an altercation in a parking zone in San Juan de la Maguana.
