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Wander Franco has been found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in the Dominican Republic - but the ex-MLB star has avoided prison.
The former Tampa Bay Rays shortstop was on trial for sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. He was convicted of having an illegal sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl when he was 21.
Prosecutors requested that the 24-year-old baseball player be sentenced to five years in prison. But judges handed down a suspended sentence, with Franco facing two years' probation.
As reported in the Dominican Republic, he will be put behind bars unless he meets certain conditions. It's said the judge told Franco that the principal condition of his probation is that he does not 'approach minors with sexual intentions'.
The verdict is nevertheless expected to end Franco's hopes of returning to MLB. According to ESPN, the 24-year-old will now struggle to obtain a work visa for the United States.
During the sentencing, Franco - who wore a green shirt - could be seen wiping his eyes as he leant forward, his head bowed, inside the courtroom. He was met by a wall of cameras and microphones as he left the courtroom.
Wander Franco has been found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in the Dominican Republic
Franco was accused of having a four-month relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time
The mother of the young girl, Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte, was convicted of sexually trafficking her daughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Reports in the Dominican Republic claimed that the judges also ordered the seizure of all assets obtained through money laundering.
Earlier on Thursday, the judge in the case stated the court determined the minor was 'manipulated' because she gave differing statements about her alleged relationship with the baseball player.
However, citing an interview with a psychologist, the judge stated that the minor described herself as Franco's girlfriend.
Additionally, according to ESPN, the judge stated that the girl referred to Franco as 'Samuel' in interviews, which is a name reserved for those close to him.
The prosecutors previously said in court there was sufficient evidence to prove Franco had a relationship with the minor for four months and that he transferred large sums of money to the minor´s mother to consent to the illegal relationship.
The prosecutors had also requested the minor´s mother be sentenced to 10 years in prison, arguing she sexually trafficked her daughter.
In a previous hearing, prosecutors described the evidence presented as 'convincing' and 'compelling.'
The former Tampa Bay Rays shortstop is seen during trial on Monday
Franco was having an All-Star season in 2023 before Dominican authorities began investigating allegations he had been in a relationship with a minor and paid her mother thousands of dollars for her consent .
The authorities alleged that Franco, through his mother Yudelka Aybar, transferred 1 million pesos (or $17,000) to the mother of the minor on January 5, 2023, to consent to the abuse.
Prosecutors said that the minor's mother went from being a bank employee to leading an ostentatious life and acquiring assets using the funds she received from Franco. During raids on the house of the minor's mother, prosecutors say they found $68,500 and $35,000 that they allege was delivered by Franco.
When the case first went to trial earlier this month, the Dominican authorities laid out their arguments against the former MLB player in the first hearing.
'Franco Aybar abducted the victim for sexual purposes for several days in the municipality of Villa Montellano, in the province of Puerto Plata,' prosecutors reiterated.
'(He) then sent large sums of money to her mother (also under indictment) to prevent her from reporting him.' They claimed that the money was used to buy property.
Prosecutors repeatedly alleged that Franco maintained a relationship of sexual exploitation and abuse for eight months with the minor. They argued that during that period, the minor's mother benefited from payments of money in exchange for maintaining her silence.
However, when Franco's defense team first took the stand, his lawyers argued that the prosecution had no evidence to connect their client to the crimes he's accused of. They further claimed that the accusation is flawed.
Franco is also facing separate gun-related charges in the Dominican Republic and could face up to five years behind bars if convicted.
