Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was found criminally responsible for sexual and psychological abuse of a minor, but he will not face sentencing. A Dominican judge issued this decision on Monday.
Judge José Antonio Núñez ruled that Franco had been extorted and blackmailed by the minor’s mother. Consequently, the mother received a 10-year prison sentence for sexually trafficking her daughter.
“It seems contradictory to declare criminal responsibility and, at the same time, exempt him from punishment. The court has granted Wander Franco a judicial pardon due to the particular circumstances that made him a material victim, but not a legal one,” Núñez explained.
The judge justified the judicial pardon as a necessary legal reasoning.
After the ruling, Franco emotionally embraced his mother, Nancy Aybar, and family members present in court. He expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank God for everything.”
Franco was initially arrested in January 2024 after accusations surfaced about a four-month relationship with a 14-year-old girl. During this time, he allegedly transferred money to the girl’s mother to facilitate the relationship. He faced charges of sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor as well as human trafficking but was previously acquitted of those charges.
Franco departed the court in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, accompanied by his lawyer, Teodosio Jáquez. He briefly addressed the media, stating, “I feel calm,” and urged fans to “continue supporting me and trusting in me.” He also mentioned he had not personally contacted the Rays, but was confident his lawyers had.
Tampa Bay Rays and Major League Baseball are observing the legal developments. MLB announced, “We are aware of today’s verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time.”
Franco’s lawyer Jáquez stated, “We don’t have the physical sentence in our hands, but he was exempted from punishment because the president of the court established that he was also a victim and because he is exempted from punishment through judicial pardon.”
The sentencing details will be fully disclosed on June 16, Jáquez added, “When we have the full sentence in hand, we will give you more details.”
In November 2021, Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays. His career faced turmoil when authorities in the Dominican Republic started an investigation in August 2023 related to an alleged minor relationship. At that time, Franco was 22 years old.
Six months post-arrest, Tampa Bay placed Franco on the restricted list, effectively cutting off his pay during administrative leave.