12/09/25 08:06:00
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12/09 08:05 CST Dominican court orders new trial for Tampa Bay Rays' Wander
Franco in sexual abuse case
Dominican court orders new trial for Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco in sexual
abuse case
By MARTIN ADAMES
Associated Press
PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) --- An appeals court in the Dominican
Republic on Tuesday ordered a new trial for Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander
Franco, who was convicted earlier this year of sexually abusing a minor and had
received a two-year suspended sentence.
Tuesday's ruling comes after Franco's attorneys had pushed to have his
conviction suspended and sentencing overturned, while prosecutors had been
seeking a five-year sentence.
The appeals court ruled in favor of Franco, ordering that new judges oversee
the case.
Franco was arrested last year after being accused of having a four-month
relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time, and of transferring thousands
of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship.
In November 2021, Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract, but his
career was upended when authorities in the Dominican Republic announced in
August 2023 that they were investigating him for an alleged relationship with a
minor.
In January 2024, Franco was arrested in his home country. Six months later,
Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list.
In late June 2024, a panel of three judges found him guilty of sexually abusing
a minor and not guilty of charges of sexual and commercial exploitation against
a minor and human trafficking.
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