Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (AP) – Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco appeared in court on Thursday concerning a sexual abuse case involving a teenage girl who provided testimony in a closed setting.
Prosecutors also presented audio and video evidence related to the girl during the trial, which commenced earlier this week.
Franco’s legal team contends that the evidence put forth by the prosecutors has been manipulated and misrepresented.
Details about Thursday’s proceedings remain sparse, as the media was largely barred from the courtroom.
Franco, 24, is facing serious allegations, including sexual abuse of minors, human trafficking, and sexual and commercial exploitation, with the girl being 14 years old.
He had an impressive All-Star season in 2023, but an investigation was launched into claims that officials in the Dominican Republic had connections to minors and allegedly paid the girl’s mother $17,000 for consent.
The girl’s mother faces charges of money laundering and is currently under house arrest.
Franco was indicted in July 2024, and if found guilty, could face up to 30 years in prison while on supervised release.
He is currently listed on Major League Baseball’s restricted list after initially being placed on administrative leave.
The trial is set to continue on Friday.
Source: apnews.com