Franco wants justice done as trial begins in D.R.

PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic -- The proceedings of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco started Monday successful the Dominican Republic successful a intersexual maltreatment lawsuit involving a 14-year-old girl.

Franco told judges helium wants justness to beryllium done.

Franco has been charged successful the bluish state of Puerto Plata with sexually abusing a minor, intersexual and commercialized exploitation against a minor, and quality trafficking.

Prosecutors introduced documents arsenic pieces of grounds against the 24-year-old Franco during the archetypal hearing, and added they volition telephone astatine slightest 7 witnesses successful a proceedings that is expected to proceed connected Thursday, Friday and adjacent Monday.

Franco heard the charges against him and could beryllium sentenced to up to 30 years successful jail.

"I heard each they said, but I wanted to accidental that justness indispensable beryllium done," Franco told the judges.

Irina Ventura, 1 of Franco's attorneys, said portion of the grounds against her lawsuit is fraudulent and illegal. Teodosio Jaquez, different subordinate of the player's ineligible team, said that the underage miss denied having intersexual relations with the player.

Prosecutor Claudio Cordero said each the grounds "was obtained successful a lawful manner, are self-sufficient and volition pb to a conviction, which is sought by the prosecutor's office."

Franco was having an All-Star play successful 2023 earlier Dominican authorities began investigating allegations helium had been successful a narration with a insignificant and paid her parent thousands of dollars for her consent. The proceedings was initially scheduled for Dec. 12, but was postponed until June.

The proceedings could instrumentality up to 8 months to conclude, based connected the mean duration of trials successful the Dominican Republic.