An appeals court in the Dominican Republic has upheld a conviction against Wander Franco, the former Tampa Bay Rays shortstop, for sexual and psychological abuse of a minor. The ruling, issued on Thursday, reversed a previous judicial pardon that had been granted to Franco.
The Dominican Public Prosecutor’s Office successfully argued that the pardon was based on a misinterpretation of the legal provisions designed for exceptional circumstances, which prosecutors maintained did not apply in this case. The appellate court supported the prosecution’s stance and confirmed Franco’s prior conviction, which includes a suspended three-year prison sentence.
Franco, now 25, will avoid prison time as long as he maintains a fixed address and remains under judicial supervision. He was arrested in January 2024 after being accused of engaging in a four-month relationship with a 14-year-old girl and allegedly transferring significant sums of money to her mother in exchange for consent to this illegal relationship. Franco was convicted in June 2025.
Since the initial allegations, Franco has been placed on the Tampa Bay Rays’ restricted list, halting his salary while he was on administrative leave. He has not played in Major League Baseball since the investigation began in August 2023. The Rays were eliminated from the World Series by the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.
The court’s ruling also included specific conditions aimed at supporting Franco’s eventual reintegration into society, considering his age. If he fails to adhere to these conditions, he will be required to serve his full three-year sentence.
Franco’s legal team did not provide any comments to the media following the court’s decision. Prosecutors noted that they have presented extensive evidence throughout multiple trials to establish the wrongful conduct of Franco and the minor’s mother.
The court also sentenced the mother to 10 years in prison for her role in the case, which included charges of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering. Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of approximately $34,000 that was linked to Franco’s payments to her.
Franco does retain the right to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic. Major League Baseball declined to comment on the case.
