Rays shortstop Wander Franco on Thursday was found guilty on a charge of sexual abuse stemming from a relationship with a minor that started in December 2022 in the Dominican Republic.
He was sentenced to two years of suspended prison time. He will have several conditions to meet, most importantly that he does not approach minors with sexual intentions, and if he fails he will have to serve the full sentence, ESPN’s Juan Arturo Recio reported on social media platform X.
The unanimous decision can be appealed to two higher levels of courts, but if upheld it could end Franco’s once highly promising career, and cost him the bulk of the $182 million, 11-year contract he signed in November 2021, which the Rays could then repurpose.
Franco, 24, has not played for the Rays since word of the relationship surfaced on social media in August 2023, a month after he made his first All-Star appearance.
Even if Franco sought to return to the major leagues after serving his sentence, the conviction likely would keep him from being granted a visa to work in the United States, given it would be considered a crime of moral turpitude.
An additional obstacle could be discipline by Major League Baseball, which had been waiting resolution of the legal process before completing its investigation under the joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy that it has with the players union.
The Rays also could seek to have the contract voided based on the moral turpitude issue as well.
Dominican prosecutors initially filed charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor and human trafficking against Franco in July 2024 after a lengthy investigation, with a potential jail term of up to 30 years. The evidence, which included direct testimony from the girl in a private session, was then reviewed by a judge, who ruled in September that it merited proceeding to a trial. Franco was 21 at the time of the relationship and the girl was 14.
The trial was originally scheduled for December, then delayed until June.
During closing arguments on Monday in a Puerto Plata courtroom, prosecutors indicated that Franco was being tried only for sexual abuse and asked the three-judge panel to sentence him to five years in prison, plus to pay a fine equal to 10 times the minimum wage in the Dominican Republic, and to cover court costs.
Franco was allowed to address the court on Monday but chose to speak only briefly, saying, “Let justice be done.”
Franco received part of his $2 million salary in 2024, but once the charges were filed in July, he was shifted to Major League Baseball’s restricted list, and not paid his $8 million salary for this season. His contract is guaranteed through 2032 (with $25 million salaries for the final five seasons) and a 2033 option.
If the conviction is upheld, the Rays would be free to spend that money for other purposes.
Franco was considered one of the best rising young players in the game at the time his legal troubles started, on track to reach star status with players such as Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson. In 265 major-league games, he hit .282 with 30 home runs, 130 RBIs and a .795 OPS and had an 11.3 WAR rating, per baseball-reference.com.
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Franco also faces charges in the Dominican for illegal possession of a firearm from an unrelated incident in November 2024, with potential jail terms ranging from six months to five years. A trial date for those charges has not yet been set.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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