Wander Franco’s trial for allegedly sexually abusing a juvenile was postponed until September 26 for its second phase.
The Tampa Bay shortstop’s defense team was not informed that video evidence would be displayed during a hearing on Wednesday, which led to the court in the province of Puerto Plata, in the north of the Dominican Republic, making this decision.
A 14-year-old girl is said to have been sexually abused by the 23-year-old. January saw the filing of charges by prosecutors, after a judge’s order to look into the matter.
According to Dominican law, a preliminary ruling, a final ruling, and a preparatory phase make up the court processes.
Franco was accompanied by family members and a lawyer to the court. He avoided talking to reporters.
According to court documents seen by The Associated Press in July, prosecutors claimed Franco gave the minor’s mother $17,000 on January 5, 2023, through his mother, Yudelka Aybar, in exchange for one million pesos.
Four days after his detention, on January 5, Franco was freed under condition. The minor girl’s mother is under home arrest.
Franco faces accusations of human trafficking, sexual assault, and commercial exploitation of a minor.
When his career was ended in August 2023, Franco—who turned 23 on March 1—was in the middle of his third major league season. In November 2021, he accepted an 11-year contract worth $182 million.
Last month, Tampa Bay put him on the restricted list and stopped paying him for his administrative absence.
Leave a Reply