Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco will go to trial in sexual abuse case

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco will go to trial on expenses that he sexually abused a minor, a choose within the Dominican Republic mentioned on Thursday.

After an investigation that lasted over a 12 months, choose Pascual Valenzuela of the northern province of Puerto Plata dominated that the proof offered by the prosecutors was worthy of the case shifting to trial.

No date has been set for the trial, which will likely be dealt with by a panel of judges. Within the Dominican Republic, there aren’t any jury trials.

Franco has been charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old lady. Prosecutors filed a number of expenses towards Franco six months after a choose ordered that he be investigated in reference to alleged sexual and psychological abuse of the lady.

Franco, who has refused to talk to the media, attended the listening to that lasted 5 hours and mentioned after that “all the pieces is in God’s palms.”

Teodosio Jáquez, Franco’s lawyer, mentioned that the result was anticipated whereas prosecutors declared that the choose’s determination validates the proof offered.

“It’s a stable accusation and the courtroom understood it. The proof linked the defendants to what’s described within the accusation,” mentioned the prosecutor, Claudio Cordero.

Franco arrived on the listening to round 9 a.m. along with his head down. He saved quiet and listened to his attorneys and the prosecutors throughout his time in courtroom.

Paperwork that prosecutors offered to the choose in July and have been considered by The Related Press alleged that Franco, via his mom Yudelka Aybar, transferred 1 million pesos or $17,000 to the mom of the minor on Jan. 5, 2023, to consent to the abuse.

The mom of the minor has been charged with cash laundering and is underneath home arrest.

Prosecutors say that the minor’s mom went from being a financial institution worker to main an ostentatious life and buying belongings that she can’t justify utilizing the funds she obtained from Franco.

Throughout raids on the home of the minor’s mom, prosecutors say they discovered $68,500 and $35,000 that they allege was delivered by Franco.

If convicted, Franco may resist 20 years in jail.

Franco, who turned 23 on March 1, was within the midst of his third main league season when his profession was halted in August 2023. He agreed to an 11-year, $182 million contract in November 2021.

Tampa Bay positioned him on the restricted record final month, slicing off the pay he had been receiving whereas on administrative go away

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