Sexual assault trial of Tampa Bay Rays player Wonder Franco It was supposed to start on Thursday. But the hearing was postponed until June after the absence of 28 witnesses out of 31 who were expected to testify.
Franco He was charged With sexual assault of a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation of a minor, and human trafficking. His trial is scheduled to resume on June 2, 2025.
Dominican Judge Yacaira Veras postponed the trial at the request of prosecutors due to the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Only three of 31 witnesses appeared at the trial on Thursday.
Franco's lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, saying Franco must attend spring training in mid-February.
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Tampa Bay Rays reliever Franco throws to first base in the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, July 25, 2023. (Jonathan Dyer/USA Today Sports)
Teodosio Jaquez, Franco's lead lawyer, told the Associated Press: “There is no case against Wander. For the number of witnesses they present, there is no case now.”
The judge responded that Franco was obligated to continue the trial schedule and be conditionally released from custody.
The 23-year-old said that his career is not over yet, that he wants justice and that “everything is in God's hands.”
Franco seemed upset when reporters asked if his MLB career was over.
“I didn't have a career,” he said, indicating that he still had one. “This is not over.”
Franco was arrested on a separate charge in the country for his involvement in an alleged armed brawl in November.
Tampa Bay Rays star Wander Franco is facing an investigation into alleged inappropriate relationships with minors. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
The Rays removed pictures of Franco around him Tropicana field After these accusations became public last year. There was also no sign of Franco merchandise being sold at the Rays' team store inside their stadium.
He agreed to an 11-year, $182 million contract in November 2021. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2023, hitting .281 with 17 homers and 58 RBI over 112 games.
Tampa Bay placed him on the team's restricted list on July 10, cutting the pay he was receiving while on administrative leave.
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After Dominican police raided two homes linked to Franco before the New Year, he was eventually arrested. He was later released on the condition that he meet local authorities once a month.
According to ESPN, Dominican prosecutors say Franco called the minor “my girl” in a WhatsApp message, admitting the relationship was “dangerous,” but that he “loved her.”
Franco allegedly wrote in Spanish: “My girl.” “If my team realized this, it could cause problems for me. It is a rule for all teams not to talk to minors, however I took the risk and I loved it.”
Tampa Bay Rays' left tackle Franco celebrates after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit on August 6, 2023. (Rick Osentoski/USA Today Sports)
Prosecutors say Franco's relationship with the girl, now 15, lasted four months, and that he paid her not to talk about it. The girl's mother also faces money laundering charges based on the gifts Franco sent her. Franco met the girl on December 9, 2022, after he “took her from her home,” had sex twice within two days and their relationship began.
Prosecutors say the minor's mother went from being a bank employee to living a lavish lifestyle and acquiring assets using the money she received from Franco. During the raids on the home of the minor's mother, prosecutors said they found $68,500 and $35,000 that they claimed Franco delivered.
The documents say Franco gave the girl the equivalent of $46,000 in July and August, and paid the mother about $1,700 a month, in addition to a new car.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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