Tampa Bay Rays’ Wander Franco guilty of sexually abusing minor but gets suspended sentence

Dominican professional baseball player Wander Franco was found guilty of sexually abusing a minor and handed a suspended sentence of two years in prison, a Dominican court ruled on Thursday.

Franco, who was also fined the equivalent of 10 minimum wages in the Dominican Republic, will avoid jail time if he meets conditions laid out by a judge.

Franco, 24, a former shortstop for Major League Baseball's (MLB) Tampa Bay Rays, was accused of maintaining a relationship with a 14-year-old girl with the consent of her mother.

Prosecutors said the acts took place in his native Dominican Republic and involved payments and travel arrangements that constituted exploitation.

“The court has understood she was manipulated,” judge Jakayra Veras said before the sentence was read.

The victim's mother was also convicted on Thursday and sentenced to 10 years in prison and issued a fine equal to 30 payments of the country's minimum wage.

The attorney general's office had requested a prison sentence of five years for Franco and 10 for the girl's mother.

Franco had been under investigation since August 2023 and was placed on administrative leave by the MLB. Once considered one of baseball's top young prospects, Franco signed an 11-year, $182m (R3.2bn) contract extension with the Rays in 2021. He has not played in the major leagues since being placed on leave.

Reuters