Choose Pascual Valenzuela of the Dominican Republic has dominated that the costs in opposition to Wander Franco have adequate proof to proceed to trial, per Juan Arturo Recio of ESPN. That trial doesn’t but have a date set. Franco faces a possible sentence of 20 years in jail.
In August of 2023, investigators within the D.R. started trying into accusations that the Rays shortstop had engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old woman. The age of consent in that nation is eighteen. In July of this yr, Franco was formally charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation in opposition to a minor, in addition to human trafficking. He’ll now stand trial in relation to these costs, in mild of right now’s ruling.
Main League Baseball positioned Franco on administrative go away in August final yr when the accusations first emerged, customary process for gamers who’re being investigated underneath the joint home violence, sexual assault and baby abuse coverage. He was reinstated for the offseason in a procedural transfer however positioned again on administrative go away when the 2024 marketing campaign started.
Gamers on administrative go away are nonetheless paid, however Franco was transferred to the restricted record in July. Per Recio’s report, his administrative go away settlement between MLB and the Gamers Affiliation had a provision that his time on administrative go away would finish if he had been charged. Recio provides that Franco’s bail settlement doesn’t permit him to depart the nation, so the Rays had been in a position to transfer him to the restricted record since he can’t bodily report back to the membership. There has additionally been reporting of a second formal grievance in opposition to Franco, although the standing of that case is much less clear.
