Franco Trial Begins Over Sexual Abuse Charges \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is on trial in the Dominican Republic over serious allegations involving a 14-year-old girl. He faces multiple charges, including sexual abuse and human trafficking, and could face up to 30 years in prison. MLB placed Franco on the restricted list pending legal resolution.
Quick Looks
- Franco on trial in the Dominican Republic as of June 2
- Accused of sexual abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking
- Allegedly paid minor’s mother $17,000 through his own mother
- Mother of the minor charged with money laundering, under house arrest
- Prosecutors allege Franco delivered more than $100,000 in total
- Trial delayed from December due to absent witnesses
- Franco remains free on supervised release, with monthly court check-ins
- Faces up to 30 years if convicted on primary charges
- Also under separate investigation for illegal firearm possession
- MLB stopped Franco’s pay after July 2024 charges were filed
- He earned partial salary under administrative leave until restricted list
- League expected to await trial outcome before making disciplinary decision
Deep Look
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, once considered one of Major League Baseball’s brightest young stars, is now facing serious legal jeopardy in his native Dominican Republic, where his criminal trial for sexual abuse of a minor began on June 2, 2025.
Franco, now 24, had been enjoying an All-Star caliber season in 2023 before Dominican prosecutors launched an investigation into allegations that he had engaged in an illicit relationship with a 14-year-old girl, and paid her mother a substantial sum in exchange for her consent. The case, which gained international attention, was initially set to go to trial in December 2024 but was postponed due to missing witnesses.
Franco faces multiple charges, including sexual abuse of a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation, and human trafficking. According to court documents, prosecutors allege Franco sent 1 million Dominican pesos (approximately $17,000) through his mother to the girl’s mother on January 5, 2023. Additional raids reportedly uncovered over $100,000 in cash, which authorities claim Franco also provided.
The mother of the minor, a former bank employee, has been charged with money laundering and is currently under house arrest. Prosecutors say she used the funds to significantly upgrade her lifestyle, purchasing assets and displaying signs of wealth inconsistent with her previous income.
On the first day of trial, Franco addressed the court briefly, saying, “I heard all they said, but I wanted to say that justice must be done.” He has otherwise refrained from speaking publicly or to the press about the case.
The trial is taking place in Puerto Plata, under Judge Pascual Valenzuela, who ruled in September 2024 that there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial after more than a year of investigation.
Firearm Case and Legal Troubles Multiply
Franco’s legal issues aren’t limited to the abuse case. In November 2024, he was arrested in connection with a separate incident involving the illegal possession of a firearm. Police intervened during a dispute in an apartment complex parking lot, during which two firearms were seized. Franco was released under supervised conditions, required to appear before a judge monthly while that investigation proceeds. One of the guns was registered to his uncle, and Franco’s attorneys argue that the licensed weapon does not constitute illegal possession.
If convicted of firearm-related offenses, Franco could face an additional three to five years in prison.
Status With MLB and the Tampa Bay Rays
Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, one of the largest deals in franchise history. After the Dominican investigation began, MLB placed Franco on administrative leave in August 2023. Under the joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy between MLB and the players’ union, administrative leave is not considered disciplinary, allowing players to be paid during that period.
Franco was on leave for nearly a year and received half of his $2 million 2024 salary, earning $1,118,280 for 104 days of the 186-day MLB season, according to a source familiar with the matter. That arrangement changed after Dominican prosecutors formally filed charges on July 10, 2024. MLB then transferred Franco to the restricted list, effectively cutting off his pay.
With Franco now formally on trial, MLB is expected to wait for the legal process to conclude before deciding on disciplinary action. Under current policy, players can be suspended or banned regardless of criminal convictions if the league finds sufficient evidence of misconduct.
Franco has not appeared in a major league game since August 2023, and the Rays have not commented extensively on his future with the organization. His case remains one of the most high-profile criminal matters involving a current MLB player in recent history.
As the trial unfolds in the Dominican Republic, baseball fans, legal analysts, and league officials will be watching closely. The potential outcome could alter the course of Franco’s career—and raise renewed scrutiny on how MLB handles allegations of abuse and criminal conduct abroad.
Franco Trial Begins
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