Wander Franco Avoiding Prison Time in S**ual Abuse of Minor Angers Fans: “What a Joke”

Wander Franco will not be serving a hard time in prison as a court in the Dominican Republic issued him a judicial pardon in the se**ual abuse case of a minor.

Wander Franco Avoiding Prison Time in S**ual Abuse of Minor Angers Fans: “What a Joke”

Wander Franco with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021 (Image via X/@MLBONFOX)

In Short
  • Wander Franco was found guilty of sexual and psychological abuse of a minor but avoided prison time.
  • The court issued a 2-year suspended sentence and a judicial pardon despite his guilt.
  • Franco's conviction raises concerns about the judicial system, with public outrage expressed on social media.

On Monday, Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was found guilty of s**ual and psychological abuse of a minor. However, as per the court ruling, he will avoid prison time and will not be locked up behind bars. Social media users were left angry following this verdict.

Franco was initially found guilty in June 2025. The 2023 MLB All-Star was facing charges of s**ual abuse, s**ual exploitation, and human trafficking.

The Puerto Plata Collegiate Court found him guilty of having an illegal relationship with a minor. While the star kept denying the accusations and expressed that he was not guilty, the court ruled against him.

At that time, he was handed a 2-year suspended sentence and avoided jail time. Meanwhile, the mother of the victim was handed a 10-year imprisonment sentence for s**ually trafficking her daughter.

In a retrial, a court in the Dominican Republic found Franco guilty again. Despite that, he once again avoided prison time. As per reports, a three-panel judge found him criminally responsible but issued him a judicial pardon. They declared that he was also a “material victim, but not a legal one” in the case.

As for the minor’s mother, the judges again convicted her of trafficking and slapped her with a 10-year imprisonment. A full decision from the court will be declared on June 16.

Franco has been out of MLB since August 12, 2023, after some shocking posts surfaced on social media. The infielder was alleged to have been in a relationship with a 14-year-old. This relationship was reported to have started in December 2022 when Franco was 21 years old.

He was then placed on administrative leave by the league. Since then, he has remained on MLB’s restricted list and has not been paid. He is also still under investigation by the MLB, which can sentence him under the Joint Domestic Violence, S**ual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy.

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Social media loses it as Wander Franco escapes prison sentence

Wander Franco was found guilty once again on Monday. Despite his acts in the s**ual abuse of a minor, the baseball star escaped a prison sentence.

Wander Franco
Wander Franco (Image via AP News)

This did not sit well with fans on social media. Many blasted him again, while some raised questions regarding the judicial system. One user wrote, “What a joke,” while reacting to this development.

Check out that and some other reactions below:

The big question now is, what will happen to Franco? He will have a hard time getting a visa and returning to the United States and the MLB due to his conviction. Unless he gets a full exoneration from a crime of moral turpitude, it will be impossible for him to return.

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MLB issues statement regarding Wander Franco after disgraced star avoids jail time

Wande Franco once again avoided jail time on Monday despite the judges in the Dominican Republic finding him guilty on some serious charges. The MLB later issued a statement regarding this matter.

Wander Franco
Wander Franco (Image via Toronto Star)

In their statement, the league simply expressed that they will conclude their investigation at the proper time.

We are aware of today’s verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time.

MLB on Wander Franco’s trial

Before this incident, Franco was one of the top rising stars in the MLB. In 2021, he signed a historic 11-year, $182 million extension. It was the largest deal offered to a player with less than a year of major league service time.

In 2023, he made his first All-Star appearance. In 112 games, Franco hit 17 home runs and had 58 RBIs while batting with a .281 average.

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