Wander Franco Granted New Trial

An appeals court in the Dominican Republic has ordered a new trial for Wander Franco, the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop, who was previously convicted of sexually abusing a minor and sentenced to two years of probation.

Franco’s attorney requested that the conviction be put on hold and the sentence overturned. Meanwhile, prosecutors were pushing for a five-year prison term for the 24-year-old baseball player.

On Tuesday, the court ruled in favor of Franco, directing that a new panel of judges take over his case.

“The court recognizes that there were numerous shortcomings and issues… and has decided to restart the trial,” stated Franco’s lawyer, Tedocio Jaques, after the verdict.

In contrast, Prosecutor José Martínez Montán, the district attorney for Puerto Plata, asserted that the initial evidence against Franco had been more than sufficient for a conviction.

Montán added, “The new trial will lead to a reassessment of the process. We secured a win in the first trial and hope for similar results this time.”

Franco was arrested at the age of 21, facing allegations of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy, and was also charged with sexual and commercial exploitation of a minor as well as human trafficking.

The victim’s mother, Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte, who was also found guilty of sex trafficking her daughter, received a 10-year prison sentence but was granted a new trial on the same day.

Franco had reportedly transferred significant sums to the victim’s mother to facilitate the illicit relationship.

Since August 2023, Franco hasn’t played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as he was placed on administrative leave amidst these allegations.

Currently, Franco is on MLB’s restricted list, and his conviction could hinder his chances of obtaining a work visa to play in the U.S. again.

Franco had signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays in November 2021, a deal that could have expanded to $223 million with a club option.