Dominican Court Pardons Franco Despite Guilty Verdict on Minor Abuse Charges

Dominican Court Pardons Franco Despite Guilty Verdict on Minor Abuse Charges

A Dominican Republic judge granted a judicial pardon to Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco after finding him guilty for a second time on charges of sexual and psychological abuse of a minor, allowing the 25-year-old to avoid prison. The ruling superseded Franco’s original June 2025 conviction, under which he had received a two-year suspended sentence. The court simultaneously handed the harshest punishment in the case to the minor’s mother, sentencing her to 10 years in prison for money laundering and commercial sexual exploitation.

The charges stemmed from a relationship Franco, then 21, had with a 14-year-old girl beginning in December 2022. While the court found Franco criminally responsible, it also determined that he had been the target of an extortion and blackmail scheme allegedly orchestrated by the girl’s mother. Prosecutors, who had sought a five-year prison term for Franco, presented evidence that the mother used her daughter as a financial commodity to extract payments from the player; investigators recovered more than $100,000 in cash during raids on her home.

Franco has not appeared in a Major League Baseball game since August 2023, when allegations involving the minor first became public. He was placed on administrative leave and subsequently moved to MLB’s restricted list, freezing both his salary and service time. Franco had signed an 11-year, $182 million contract extension with the Rays in 2021, with roughly $160 million reported to remain on the deal.

Because Franco was not fully exonerated, legal analysts cited in the draft material believe the conviction is likely to qualify as a crime involving moral turpitude under U.S. immigration law, making it extremely difficult for him to obtain the work visa required to resume his MLB career. The Rays would have no obligation to pay him if he cannot obtain a visa or report to the team, and could also seek to void the remaining contract under morality clauses. MLB’s independent investigation under its Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy remains open; the league had previously stated it would await the conclusion of Dominican legal proceedings before issuing formal disciplinary action.