Rays' Wander Franco found guilty in sex abuse case, receives 2-year suspended sentence

Martin Adames · The Associated Press

· Posted: Jun 26, 2025 7:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

Wander Franco, the suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop charged successful a intersexual maltreatment case, was recovered blameworthy connected Thursday but received a two-year suspended sentence.

Franco was arrested past twelvemonth aft being accused of having a four-month narration with a miss who was 14 astatine the time, and of transferring thousands of dollars to her parent to consent to the amerciable relationship.

Franco, present 24, besides faced charges of intersexual and commercialized exploitation against a minor, and quality trafficking, but was recovered not blameworthy of those.

Judge Jakayra Veras Garcia said Franco made a atrocious determination arsenic she addressed him during the ruling.

"Look astatine us, Wander," she said. "Do not attack minors for intersexual purposes. If you don't similar radical precise adjacent to your age, you person to hold your time."

Prosecutors had requested a five-year situation condemnation against Franco and a 10-year condemnation against the girl's mother, who was recovered blameworthy and volition service the afloat term.

"Apparently she was the 1 who thought she was handling the bat successful the large leagues," Veras said of the parent and her petition that Franco wage for her daughter's schooling and different expenses.

Franco to entreaty ruling

Franco's attorney, Irina Ventura, said she would entreaty the judge's ruling: "Evidently, justness was not done."

Meanwhile, authoritative Luis Martinez said helium was pleased with the rulings but did not accidental whether the authorities would appeal.

Before the 3 judges issued their unanimous ruling, Veras orally reviewed the copious magnitude of grounds that prosecutors presented during trial, including definite grounds from 31 witnesses.

"This is simply a somewhat analyzable process," Veras said.

More than an hr into her presentation, Veras said: "The tribunal has understood that this insignificant was manipulated."

Franco, who was erstwhile the team's prima shortstop, had signed a $182 cardinal US, 11-year declaration done 2032 successful November 2021 but saw his vocation abruptly halted successful August 2023 aft authorities successful the Dominican Republic announced they were investigating him for an alleged narration with a minor. Franco was 22 astatine the time.

In January 2024, authorities arrested Franco successful the Dominican Republic. Six months later, Tampa Bay placed him connected the restricted list, which chopped disconnected the wage helium had been receiving portion connected administrative leave.

He was placed connected that database due to the fact that helium has not been capable to study to the squad and would request a caller U.S. visa to bash so.

While Franco awaited proceedings connected conditional release, helium was arrested again successful November past twelvemonth pursuing what Dominican authorities called an altercation implicit a woman's attention. He was charged with illegally carrying a semiautomatic Glock 19 that constabulary said was registered to his uncle.

That lawsuit is inactive pending successful court.

After the ruling, Major League Baseball issued a little connection noting it had collectively bargained a associated home violence, intersexual battle and kid maltreatment argumentation "that reflects our committedness to these issues."

"We are alert of today's verdict successful the Wander Franco proceedings and volition reason our probe astatine the due time," MLB said.