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An appeals court ordered a new trial in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday for convicted Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who was found guilty of sexually abusing a minor, resulting in a two-year suspended prison sentence.
Franco’s attorneys pushed to have the 24-year-old’s conviction suspended and sentencing overturned. At the same time, prosecutors had been seeking a five-year sentence for the Rays star infielder.
Franco’s side was ultimately what the appeals court ruled in favor of on Tuesday, ordering that a new panel of judges to oversee his case.
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“The court understood that there were many flaws, many omissions … many issues, and decided to send the case to a new trial,” Tedosio Jáquez, Franco’s attorney, said after the ruling.
Prosecutor José Martínez Montan, who serves as district attorney for the province of Puerto Plata, maintains his stance that the evidence in the first trial was sufficient to convict Franco.
RAYS’ WANDER FRANCO FOUND GUILTY IN CHILD SEX ABUSE CASE
“In a new trial, the procedures will be reevaluated. We won the case in the first trial, and we expect the same in the new trial,” Montan explained.
Franco was arrested last year after being accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old while he was 21 years old. He also faced charges of sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking.
Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte, the mother of the victim, was also found guilty of sexually trafficking her daughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison. She was also granted a new trial on Tuesday.
Franco transferred thousands of dollars to the victim’s mother to consent to the illegal relationship.
The last time the switch-hitting shortstop played in MLB was August 2023 before he was placed on administrative leave after allegations surfaced.
Now, Franco remains on MLB’s restricted list, and his current conviction could make it unlikely for him to get a work visa in the United States and play for the Rays again.
He signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with Tampa Bay in November 2021, cementing himself as a cornerstone piece to build around for years to come. The contract could have been worth up to $223 million with a club option.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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