A Dominican judge ruled that Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor, but he will not serve a prison sentence. The judge determined that Franco was also a victim of extortion and blackmail by the minor’s mother, who received a 10-year prison term for sexually trafficking her daughter. Franco was arrested in January 2024 after allegations of a four-month relationship with a 14-year-old and transferring thousands of dollars to the girl’s mother. After the ruling, Franco said he felt calm and asked fans to continue supporting him. Sentencing details are scheduled for 16 June, and his lawyers said he was exempted from punishment.
"Judge Jose Antonio Nunez considered that Franco had been the victim of extortion and blackmail by the minor's mother, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually trafficking her daughter. In his decision, the judge declared Franco criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor, but ruled that he will not serve a sentence. The ruling relied on the finding that Franco was also a victim, and on an exemption from punishment through judicial pardon."
"Franco was arrested in January 2024 after he was accused of having a four-month relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time and transferring thousands of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship. After the ruling, Franco left the courthouse alongside his lawyer, Teodosio Jaquez, and briefly answered reporters' questions, saying, I feel calm, and asking his fans to continue supporting me and trusting in me. The player also said that he personally had not contacted the Rays, but that his lawyers had."
"We don't have the physical sentence in our hands, but he was exempted from punishment because the president of the court established that he was also a victim and because he is exempted from punishment through judicial pardon, said Jaquez. The full sentencing will be on 16 June. When we have the full sentence in hand, we will give you more details, Jaquez said. He was exempted from punishment and we think that's fine, but we need to have the sentence in hand."
"In November 2021, Franco signed an 11-year, $182m contract with the Rays, 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. Franco was 22 at the time. Six months after his arrest, Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list, which cut off the pay he had been receiving while on administrative leave."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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