Wander Franco, once a rising star in Major League Baseball, is now facing the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence as he stands trial in the Dominican Republic on charges of sexual abuse, exploitation of a minor, and human trafficking.
Prosecutors are calling for a five-year prison sentence for the former Tampa Bay Rays shortstop, alleging he had a months-long relationship with a 14-year-old girl and paid her mother to stay silent.
In court this week, prosecutors argued that Franco engaged in a relationship with the girl over a four-month period and transferred substantial funds to her mother to maintain the arrangement.
They claim that Franco, through his mother, wired one million Dominican pesos – about $17,000 – to the girl’s mother in early January 2023. Additional sums were later discovered during raids, including more than $100,000 in cash, which authorities say was tied to Franco.
The girl’s mother is also facing serious consequences. Prosecutors are pushing for a ten-year prison sentence against her, accusing her of trafficking her daughter for financial gain.
They allege that she used the money she received to elevate her lifestyle and acquire property.
A career derailed and a case that keeps growing
Franco‘s downfall has been as rapid as his rise. In 2021, he signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays and was enjoying an All-Star campaign in 2023 when the allegations surfaced.
Since the investigation began, he has not returned to professional baseball.
Prosecutors allege that Franco held the girl for several days in the municipality of Villa Montellano and sent payments to her mother in exchange for silence.
“Franco Aybar abducted the victim for sexual purposes,” one prosecutor told the court. “Then he sent large sums of money to her mother to prevent her from reporting him.”
They maintain that the relationship lasted for eight months and that the girl’s mother repeatedly accepted payments in exchange for not going public. The evidence, according to the prosecution, is both solid and damning.
“The evidence linked the defendants to what’s described in the accusation,” prosecutor Claudio Cordero said. A judge agreed, ruling in September 2023 that the case could move to trial after a year-long investigation.
Franco’s legal team has denied all charges and argues that there is no credible evidence tying him to the crimes. They claim the case is built on weak assumptions and that Franco has been unfairly targeted.
Further complicating matters for Franco, he is also facing a separate charge related to an incident in November 2023, when he was arrested for carrying a firearm following a dispute in a residential parking lot.
The weapon was licensed to his uncle, but the player could still face up to five years in prison for illegal possession under Dominican law.
Now 24 years old, Franco‘s once-promising baseball future remains uncertain as he battles serious legal challenges that extend well beyond the diamond.
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