Wander Franco wants ‘justice’ as MLB star’s sexual abuse trial begins

Wander Franco spoke out in court for the first time as his sexual abuse trial got underway in the Dominican Republic on Monday. 

The Rays’ shortstop has been accused of sexual abuse and exploitation of a minor, and prosecutors have said that they have “convincing evidence” that Franco committed the crime and then attempted to buy off the victim’s mother.

Franco has maintained his innocence against the allegations, which surfaced online in social media posts in August 2023 and have forced him away from the game of baseball since. 

“I’ve heard everything they’re saying [during the reading of the indictment], but the only thing I’m going to say is [I hope] justice is done,” Franco told the court at the start of the trial on Monday, according to ESPN’s Enrique Rojas. 

Franco also told the court, “Let justice be done,” before thanking the judges for the opportunity to speak, ESPN Deportes reported. 

The former MLB All-Star is facing charges of sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking after a judge ruled in September that the prosecution had enough evidence to move to trial. 

Dominican prosecutors have continued to reiterate that Franco “kidnapped the victim for sexual purposes for several days” and had then given the mother “large sums of money” in order to “prevent her from reporting him.” 

The victim’s mother is facing charges of money laundering and is under house arrest for her role. 

The abuse lasted eight months while the girl’s mother benefited from Franco sending her money in order to keep her quiet, prosecutors allege. 

Franco’s defense team argued in court on Monday that the prosecution does not have any evidence to prove their case and claimed the accusations are flawed, ESPN Deportes reported. 

The baseball player is facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted and the trial could take up to eight months to conclude, according to the Associated Press. 

Unlike the United States, there are no jury trials in the Dominican Republic, and the case is being heard by a panel of three judges who listen to arguments and witness testimony before analyzing the evidence and making a ruling. 

Judges Jakayra Veras, Venecia Rojas and José Juan Jiménez are presiding over the case, per ESPN Deportes. 

Allegations of misconduct came in the form of social media posts on Aug. 13, 2023, that went viral and alleged Franco had an inappropriate relationship with a minor. 

Franco has not spoken publicly about the allegations other than saying “everything is in God’s hands” after a hearing in September and an Instagram Live on the day that the allegations first surfaced. 

“They say that I’m in public with a little girl, that I’m running around with a minor,” Franco said in the social media video in Spanish, per the Tampa Bay Times. “People don’t know what to do with their time. They don’t know what they’re talking about.

“That’s why I prefer to be on my side and not get involved with anybody … because people gossip and talk smack.”