DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco's first court hearing has been postponed until September.
ESPN in the Dominican Republic is reporting that Franco will need to appear at a second preliminary hearing on September 26. Franco's Lawyer requested the hearing today be postponed because prosecutors did not notify them of all the evidence.
Wander Franco deberá comparecer a la segunda audiencia preliminar el próximo 26 de septiembre luego de que su abogado solicitara un aplazamiento, porque la fiscalía no le notificó todas las pruebas. pic.twitter.com/ra0YkuVbhk
— ESPN.com.do🇩🇴 (@ESPN_DO) August 14, 2024
Franco has been under investigation by both the MLB and Dominican authorities since August 2023 due to social media posts suggesting he had a relationship with a minor.
Shortly after both investigations were launched, Franco agreed to be placed on the MLB's restricted list, removing him from the Rays roster. The former All-Star has not played since.
Franco was then moved to administrative leave by the league under its joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy with the Players' Association.
Administrative leave is not disciplinary under the league's policy, and a player continues to be paid.
He remained there through the end of the season and, after the offseason concluded, resumed leave on Opening Day as part of an agreement through June 1.
On May 31, his administrative leave was extended through July 14 by the MLB and the Players' Association.
In December of 2023, Franco received a bonus of over $700,000 from the MLB as part of the league's pre-arbitration bonus pool. He continued to receive his $2 million salary as well.
Franco also has a $2 million salary this season as part of an 11-year, $182 million deal he signed in November of 2021. He will not be paid if he is suspended due to the MLB's investigation.
Franco was arrested on Jan. 1 for not showing up for his meeting with his prosecutor, but a Dominican judge ordered his conditional release four days later.
The judge said Wander could leave the Dominican Republic but had to return monthly to meet with authorities.
Also, in January, a judge ruled that Franco would be facing a lesser charge of sexual and psychological abuse instead of commercial and sexual exploitation and money laundering, charges that carry up to 30 years, 10 years, and 20 years of prison respectively.
Due to the January ruling, Franco was instead facing a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.
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