Rays’ Wander Franco has been convicted of the sexual assault case, and he received a two -year suspension sentence

Wander Franco, Tampa Bay Rays Shortstop suspended in the sexual assault case, was convicted on Thursday, but it has been suspended for two years.

Franco was arrested last year after accusing him of a four -month relationship with a fourteen -year -old girl, and transferred thousands of dollars to her mother to agree to the illegal relationship.

Franco, 24, also faced sexual and commercial exploitation against the minor and human trafficking, but he did not condemn it.

Judge Jacquara Ferras Garcia said that Franco made a bad decision because she addressed him during the ruling.

“Look at us, wander,” she said. “Don’t come close to minors for sexual purposes. If you don’t like people near your age, you should wait for your time.”

Prosecutors have requested a five -year prison sentence against Franco and a 10 -year prison sentence against the girl’s mother, who was convicted and will spend a full term.

“It is clear that it was she who thought she was dealing with the bats in the major league championships.”

Franco to appeal the ruling

“It is clear, not justice has been done.”

Meanwhile, Prosecutor Luis Martinez said he was happy with the rulings, but he did not say whether the government would appeal.

Before the three judges issued their verdict unanimously, Veras orally reviewed the abundant amount of evidence made by the general prosecutors during the trial, including some certificates of 31 witnesses.

“This is somewhat complicated,” Ferras said.

More than an hour after her presentation, Ferras said: “The court understood that this minor had been manipulated.”

Franco, who was one day star on the Shortstop, signed a $ 182 million contract, for 11 years until 2032 in November 2021, but he witnessed his career in August 2023 after the authorities in the Dominican Republic announced that they were investigating a relationship with a minor. Franco was 22 at that time.

In January 2024, the authorities arrested Franco in the Dominican Republic. Six months later, Tamba Bay put it on the restricted list, which cut it during an administrative vacation.

He was placed on that list because he was unable to inform the team and would need a new American visa to do so.

While Franco is awaiting the trial on the conditional release, he was arrested again in November last year after what the Dominican authorities described as a quarrel because of the attention of women. He was charged with carrying a semi -automatic Glock’s carrying, the police said he was registered in his uncle.

This case is still hanging in court.

After the referee, the baseball game in the major league issued a brief statement that it had collectively led to a joint home violence negotiation, sexual assault and abuse of children “reflects our commitment to these issues.”

MLB said: “We are familiar with today at the Wander Franco trial and we will conclude our investigation in a timely manner,” MLB said.