PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic -- Wander Franco, the one-time franchise cornerstone of the Tampa Bay Rays, was convicted on Thursday by a tribunal in his native Dominican Republic on charges of sexual abuse of a minor.
The verdict, which was handed down nearly two years after accusations against Franco first surfaced on social media, came with a two-year suspended prison sentence. Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison sentence.
Franco, 24, faced charges including sexual abuse of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor and human trafficking. The suspended sentence means that Franco will not face prison time as long as he adheres to conditions that he "not approach minors for sexual purposes."
Citing testimony from the girl, who was 14 at the time of the complaint, and testimony from other family members, prosecutors said that Franco lavished the girl's mother with thousands of dollars in cash and other gifts such as a car in exchange for allowing him to engage in the alleged abuse of her daughter. That led to what prosecutors called an abduction of the alleged victim by Franco via the use of a helicopter. The Athletic is not naming the mother in order to preserve her daughter's anonymity.
Franco could also be subject to fines, including paying for the costs of the trial.
The victim's mother was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the maximum that prosecutors were seeking in the case on charges of money laundering and commercial sexual exploitation of a minor. The court said the mother of the victim exerted pressure and blackmail against Franco.
The decisions were rendered by judges Jakayra Veras, Venecia Rojas and José Juan Jiménez.
Franco's verdict came after an unusual delay. Testimony wrapped on Monday after a trial that featured only two hours of defense from Franco and the mother of his alleged victim. Rulings are typically handed out the same day that testimony ends. But in this case, Veras, who was the court's presiding judge, said the amount of evidence the prosecution provided along with statements and the accused's defense prompted the panel to take more time.
It's not yet clear if Franco's conviction means that his contract with the Rays could be converted from guaranteed to non-guaranteed and could eventually be terminated. In addition, immigration experts told The Athletic last year that a conviction would likely result in a permanent ban from the U.S.
Franco last played in an MLB game in August 2023 when the sexual abuse accusations first surfaced on social media. After denying the allegations on his own social media channels, Franco was put on administrative leave. He remained there until July 2024 when prosecutors filed charges and Franco was put on the restricted list.
From the outset, Franco has insisted that the allegations he faced were part of an "extortion" scheme. As the proceedings wound down, one of Franco's attorneys questioned the objectivity of the investigation and claimed that key evidence in the case had been excluded and hidden.
Throughout the process, Franco rarely spoke in court or to the media.
"I'm vocalizing what I have always said: Justice," Franco said in Spanish on Monday. "We expect justice."