Wander Franco played shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays.
He made his MLB debut in 2021 and was an All-Star in 2023. Franco had a promising MLB career.
He has not played in the MLB since August 2023. Franco was placed on administrative leave. This was due to an investigation into allegations of relationships with underage girls in the Dominican Republic.
Franco was charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of a minor in the Dominican Republic in 2024.
Wander Franco Found Guilty For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor In The Dominican Republic
Wander Franco, shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays, was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in the Dominican Republic.
He received a two-year prison sentence on Thursday, June 29, 2025, after having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl when Franco was 21.
To avoid serving prison time, Wander Franco will need to meet several conditions set by the judge.
One of these conditions includes not approaching minors with sexual intentions.
Social media posts in August 2023 alleged Franco had been in an inappropriate relationship with a teenage girl. Franco denied the allegations, but the MLB and MLBPA struck a deal to put him on administrative leave. He remained there until he was charged in July 2024, at which point the MLB put him on the restricted list.
According to prosecutors, Wander Franco met the girl online and had sex with her twice in December 2022. To see the girl in person, Franco would send helicopters or cars to pick her up near her hometown of Puerto Plata and bring her to his home in Bani.
When the cops raided the girl’s home, they found $68,500 US dollars and another 800,000 Dominican pesos (approximately $13,700 USD), according to prosecutors.
Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte, the mother of the victim, was convicted of sexually trafficking her daughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison after prosecutors proved she received financial gains from Franco and laundered money.
Franco Likely To Have Difficulty Receiving Work Visa In The United States
Wander Franco is on the MLB’s restricted list for failure to report to the team.
With his conviction, Franco will likely have a difficult time receiving a work visa in the United States because of the conviction.
If he were to receive a work visa, Franco would remain on the restricted list. As long as he is on the restricted list, the Tampa Bay Rays are not required to pay the salaries from his massive 11-year, $182 million contract.
MLB’s investigation into Franco is still open. It is possible he could be further disciplined under the league’s domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy.
“Major League Baseball is proud to have a collectively bargained Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy that reflects our commitment to these issues,” the league said in a statement. “We are aware of today’s verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time.”
Wander Franco Also Charged In An Unrelated Case
That is not the end of the charges Franco is facing.
He was also charged in June by prosecutors in the Dominican Republic for illegal possession of a handgun after an altercation in a parking lot in San Juan de la Maguana.
This case remains pending in court.
