Wander Franco was declared criminally responsible in a Dominican abuse
case but spared punishment, leaving questions over his legal status, MLB future
and Rays contract.
PUERTO PLATA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.— A Dominican judge ruled Monday that Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander
Franco was criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a
minor, but exempted him from punishment through a judicial pardon, according to
The Associated Press. The decision keeps one of baseball’s most closely watched
legal cases unresolved for Major League Baseball, the Rays and Franco’s
professional future.
Judge grants judicial pardon after finding criminal responsibility
Judge José Antonio Núñez issued the ruling in Puerto Plata, declaring
Franco criminally responsible while also determining that he would not serve a
sentence, according to AP reporting. The judge cited what he described as
particular circumstances in the case, including extortion and blackmail by the
minor’s mother.
The decision is legally significant because it separates criminal
responsibility from punishment. According to AP, Núñez said the court viewed Franco
as a “material victim” in the circumstances surrounding the case, while not
treating him as a legal victim. The court therefore granted what Franco’s
attorney described as a judicial pardon.
The minor’s mother was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually
trafficking her daughter, AP reported. That part of the ruling became central
to the judge’s explanation for why Franco was exempted from punishment, despite
the finding against him.
The case has drawn attention across Latin America and the United States because of Franco’s status as a major-league player, the seriousness of the accusations, the age of the minor involved and the possible consequences for his ability to return to professional baseball.
What the court said about Franco and the minor’s mother
According to AP, the case centered on accusations that Franco had a
four-month relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time and transferred
thousands of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship.
Franco was 22 when Dominican authorities announced in August 2023 that they
were investigating him over the alleged relationship.
The court’s ruling did not erase the finding of criminal responsibility.
Instead, it concluded that punishment would not be imposed because of the court’s
interpretation of the surrounding facts, including the mother’s role. Franco’s
attorney, Teodosio Jáquez, said after the ruling that the defense did not yet
have the full written sentence but understood that Franco had been exempted
from punishment through judicial pardon.
That distinction matters for readers trying to understand the outcome.
Franco was not cleared by the court. The judge found him criminally
responsible, but he will not serve a sentence under Monday’s ruling. The full
sentencing document is expected June 16, when more legal reasoning may become
available.
Franco briefly answered reporters after leaving the courthouse, saying
he felt calm and asking fans to continue supporting and trusting him, according
to AP. Those remarks are among the first public comments from Franco after the
decision.
MLB says its investigation will continue
Major League Baseball said it was aware of the verdict and would
conclude its investigation “at the appropriate time,” according to AP. The
league’s response indicates that Monday’s court decision does not automatically
resolve Franco’s status under MLB policies.
MLB investigations are separate from criminal proceedings. A player may
face league discipline even when a court process ends without imprisonment, especially
in cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse or related
conduct policies. The league has not announced final disciplinary action in
response to Monday’s ruling.
The Tampa Bay Rays have also not announced a final decision on Franco’s
future with the organization. AP reported that Franco said he personally had
not contacted the Rays but believed his lawyers likely had.
For the Rays, the next steps could involve MLB’s investigation,
contractual questions, roster status and any immigration or employment
implications tied to Franco’s ability to play in the United States. Those
issues remain pending and should not be treated as resolved until the league,
club or relevant authorities make formal statements.
How the case disrupted Franco’s baseball career
Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays
in November 2021, a deal that reflected his status as one of baseball’s most
highly regarded young players. His career was derailed after Dominican
authorities announced in August 2023 that they were investigating him in
connection with an alleged relationship with a minor, according to AP.
Franco was arrested in January 2024. Six months later, Tampa Bay placed
him on the restricted list, which cut off the pay he had been receiving while
on administrative leave, AP reported.
The restricted list status is one of the most important practical
details in the case for baseball fans. It means Franco has not been an active
part of the Rays’ roster while the legal and league processes have continued.
Any path back to MLB would likely require multiple steps, including the
conclusion of the league investigation and resolution of any legal, visa or
contractual barriers.
The case also carries reputational consequences. Franco was once viewed
as a franchise cornerstone for Tampa Bay. Monday’s ruling places his future in
professional baseball under renewed scrutiny, even though he avoided a sentence
in the Dominican Republic.
Why the ruling is drawing attention beyond baseball
The Wander Franco ruling is not only a sports story. It involves
criminal law, the protection of minors, trafficking, institutional
accountability and the limits of how sports leagues respond when legal
proceedings occur outside the United States.
The court’s decision may be difficult for many readers to interpret
because it contains two elements that appear to pull in different directions:
criminal responsibility and no punishment. Judge Núñez described the judicial
pardon as “logical and legal,” according to AP, but the full written sentence
has not yet been released.
Until that document is public, many legal details remain incomplete. The
written ruling may clarify the court’s reasoning, the legal basis for the
pardon, the findings against Franco, the findings against the minor’s mother
and how the court weighed the evidence.
The case also raises broader questions about how vulnerable minors are
protected when adults around them are accused of enabling or profiting from
exploitation. The mother’s 10-year sentence is a central part of the court’s
ruling, but it does not remove the public-interest concern surrounding the
minor at the center of the case.
What remains unclear before the June 16 sentencing document
Several major questions remain unresolved after Monday’s ruling.
The full written sentence is still pending and is expected June 16,
according to Franco’s attorney and AP reporting. That document may provide the
most complete explanation of the court’s legal reasoning.
MLB has not announced the conclusion of its investigation. The league’s
statement only confirmed that it was aware of the verdict and would finish its
process at the appropriate time.
The Rays have not publicly announced a final personnel or contractual
decision. Franco’s roster status, future pay, possible discipline and potential
return to organized baseball remain subject to official action.
It is also not clear from the available public reporting whether the
ruling will create immigration or work-authorization complications for Franco
if he seeks to resume a playing career in the United States. That question
would require confirmation from legal experts, immigration authorities or
official MLB-related proceedings.
For now, the confirmed facts are limited to the court’s ruling, the
pardon, the mother’s sentence, MLB’s brief statement and the pending full
sentence.
Timeline of the Wander Franco case
The case began publicly in August 2023, when Dominican authorities
announced that they were investigating Franco over an alleged relationship with
a minor. Franco was 22 at the time, according to AP.
In January 2024, Franco was arrested after being accused of having a
four-month relationship with a girl who was 14 and transferring money to her
mother to consent to the illegal relationship, AP reported.
Tampa Bay later placed him on the restricted list, a move that removed
him from active baseball activity and cut off pay he had been receiving while
on administrative leave, according to AP.
On May 25, 2026, Judge José Antonio Núñez ruled in Puerto Plata that
Franco was criminally responsible for sexual and psychological abuse of a minor
but would not serve a sentence because of a judicial pardon. The minor’s mother
received a 10-year prison sentence for sexually trafficking her daughter.
The next major date is June 16, when the full sentencing document is
expected. That document may shape the legal, public and sporting interpretation
of the ruling.
By Sports Desk | Supervision: Editorial Board | CRN Times | Puerto Plata | May 25, 2026