Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been found criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor by a Dominican judge. However, in a major twist to the legal proceedings, the 25-year-old baseball player was granted a judicial pardon and will not face prison time for the offenses.
Judge José Antonio Núñez delivered the ruling on Monday in the Dominican Republic. While the court established Franco’s criminal liability regarding the illegal four-month relationship with a 14-year-old girl, the judge ruled that Franco was also a victim of a coordinated extortion and blackmail scheme orchestrated by the minor’s mother.
The minor’s mother did not escape punishment. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in the sexual trafficking of her own daughter, having accepted thousands of dollars from the MLB player in exchange for consenting to the relationship. The court has scheduled the release of the full physical sentencing documentation for June 16, 2026, to outline the complete legal framework behind the pardon.
Major League Baseball, which has kept Franco on the restricted list without pay since the investigation began, addressed the court’s decision on Tuesday. “We are aware of today’s verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time,” the league stated in an official release. The ultimate conclusion of that internal investigation will decide whether his 11-year, $182 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays will be formally voided by the team.
Franco’s professional baseball career has been on hold since August 2023 when the initial allegations surfaced, leading to his arrest in January 2024. The shortstop has not appeared in a major league game since the administrative leave and subsequent restricted list placements took effect, completely halting his trajectory just two seasons after signing the largest contract in Rays franchise history.