Dominican court orders new trial for Franco in sexual abuse case

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.