Wander Franco, the scarce suspended from Tampa Bay Rays accused in a case of sexual abuse, was convicted on Thursday but received a suspended sentence of two years.
Franco was arrested last year after being accused of having a four -month relationship with a girl who was 14 years old at that time and transferring thousands of dollars to his mother to consent to the illegal relationship.
Franco, now 24 years old, also faced positions of sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking, but was found not guilty of them.
Judge Jakayra Veras García said that Franco made a bad decision when he addressed him during the ruling.
“Look at us, wanders,” he said. “Don’t approach minors for sexual purposes. If you don’t like people very close to your age, you have to wait for your time.”
Prosecutors had requested a five -year prison sentence against Franco and a 10 -year sentence against the girl’s mother, who was convicted and will comply with the full mandate.
“Apparently she was the one who thought she was driving the bat in the big leagues,” he would see about the mother and his request that Franco pays for the education of his daughter and other expenses.
Franco’s lawyer, Irina Ventura, said she would appeal the judge’s ruling: “Obviously, justice was not done.”
Meanwhile, prosecutor Luis Martínez said he was satisfied with the decisions, but did not say if the government would appeal.
Before the three judges issued their unanimous ruling, really reviewed the large amount of evidence that prosecutors presented during the trial, including certain testimonies of 31 witnesses.
“This is a somewhat complex process,” he said.
More than an hour in his presentation, Veras said: “The court has understood that this child was manipulated.”
While the judge continued his review, Franco looked forward inexpressive, tearing forward sometimes.
Franco, who once was the star campocorto, had signed a contract of $ 182 million and 11 years through 2032 in November 2021, but saw his career arrested abruptly in August 2023 after the authorities of the Dominican Republic announced that they were investigating him for an alleged relationship with a minor. Franco was 22 years old at that time.
In January 2024, the authorities arrested Franco in the Dominican Republic. Six months later, Tampa Bay placed him in the restricted list, which cut the salary he had been receiving while he was on administrative license.
It was placed on that list because it has not been able to inform the team and would need a new American visa to do so.
While Franco waited for the trial of conditional liberation, he was arrested again in November last year after what the Dominican authorities called an altercation for the attention of a woman. He was accused of illegally carrying a Semiautomatic 19 Gock that the police said he was registered in his uncle.
That case is still pending in court.
After the ruling, Major League Baseball issued a brief statement pointing out that he had collectively bargain a joint domestic violence, sexual aggression and child abuse “that reflects our commitment to these issues.”
“We are aware of today’s verdict at the Wander Franco trial and we will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time,” MLB said.
