Dominican Court Decision Allows Wander Franco to Avoid Prison Time
Former Major League Baseball star Wander Franco will not face prison despite being convicted again for sexual and psychological abuse of a minor. In the Dominican Republic, a judge granted the 25-year-old shortstop a judicial pardon. This decision overturned Franco’s initial conviction from June 2025, which included a two-year suspended sentence.
The charges stemmed from Franco’s relationship with a 14-year-old girl, which began in December 2022 when he was 21. Although the court found Franco criminally responsible, it also recognized him as a victim of extortion and blackmail allegedly orchestrated by the girl’s mother.
Prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence for Franco. However, the court imposed the harshest penalty on the girl’s mother. Investigators uncovered over $100,000 in cash during raids on her home linked to Franco, leading to her 10-year imprisonment for money laundering and commercial sexual exploitation.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged that the mother used her daughter to extort money from Franco. Franco’s professional baseball career in MLB is effectively over, despite an 11-year, $182 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021.
Franco last played in an MLB game in August 2023. Following social media allegations, he was placed on administrative leave before MLB moved him to its restricted list, halting his salary and service time.
Under U.S. immigration law, the charges qualify as a “crime involving moral turpitude.” Because Franco was not fully exonerated, experts believe he cannot secure the necessary work visa to return to Major League Baseball. This situation provides the Tampa Bay Rays with significant leverage regarding his contract.
About $160 million remains on Franco’s contract. The organization is not obliged to pay if he cannot obtain a visa or report to the team. The Rays may also try to void the contract under morality clauses commonly found in sports contracts.
MLB’s investigation into the situation, focusing on its Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy, continues. The league awaits the conclusion of the Dominican Republic’s legal process before deciding on disciplinary actions.