Dominican Court Rules on Wander Franco’s Case

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was declared criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor by a Dominican judge. However, Franco will not serve a sentence. Judge José Antonio Núñez ruled on Monday, stating that Franco was a victim of extortion and blackmail by the minor’s mother, who received a 10-year prison sentence for sexually trafficking her daughter.

“It seems contradictory to declare criminal responsibility and, at the same time, exempt him from punishment. The court has granted Wander Franco a judicial pardon due to the particular circumstances that made him a material victim, but not a legal one,” explained Núñez.

The judge justified the judicial pardon with “logical and legal reasoning.” Franco expressed gratitude and embraced his family in court. Franco was arrested in January 2024 after being accused of a four-month relationship with a 14-year-old girl and transferring thousands to her mother in exchange for the relationship’s consent. He was previously found not guilty of charges related to sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking.

After the ruling, Franco left court with his lawyer, Teodosio Jáquez, and briefly addressed reporters. Franco stated he felt calm and asked fans to continue their support. He mentioned he had not personally contacted the Rays, but his lawyers likely had.

Major League Baseball released a statement saying they are aware of the verdict and will conclude their investigation at the appropriate time. Franco’s attorney Jáquez said, “We don’t have the physical sentence in our hands, but he was exempted from punishment because the president of the court established that he was also a victim and because he is exempted from punishment through judicial pardon.” The full sentencing is scheduled for June 16.

In November 2021, Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays. His career faced disruption when authorities began investigating him in August 2023. Following his arrest, Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list, which affected his pay.