Wander Franco Court Ruling: Appeals Judges Revoke His Pardon and Uphold Sexual Abuse Conviction

Former Tampa Bay Rays All-Star Wander Franco, 25, received a three-year suspended prison sentence on Thursday, 29 October 2026.

An appeals court in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, revoked his judicial pardon and upheld his conviction for sexual and psychological abuse of a minor. Franco will avoid immediate imprisonment if he complies with the court's conditions.

The ruling followed a lengthy legal process that began with an investigation in 2023. Franco was first convicted in June 2025 and received a two-year suspended sentence.

Following appeals, another trial in May 2026 again found him guilty but granted him a judicial pardon, exempting him from punishment.

Prosecutors challenged that decision, arguing that Franco's circumstances did not justify the exceptional legal relief he had received. The latest judgment removes the pardon while leaving his conviction in place.

Wander Franco's Pardon Revoked as Prosecutors Win Appeal

The Dominican Republic's Public Prosecutor's Office argued that the earlier pardon rested on an incorrect interpretation of the law. Prosecutors maintained that the provisions allowing such relief were intended for exceptional circumstances that did not apply to Franco's case.

Franco's defence opposed the prosecution's challenge. However, the appeals judges ruled in favour of prosecutors and imposed a three-year suspended sentence.

The prosecution had sought a five-year prison term, according to Dominican news reports. The court instead imposed a shorter sentence that allows Franco to remain outside prison while meeting judicial requirements.

According to the Associated Press, Franco must maintain a fixed residence and remain under judicial supervision throughout the suspended sentence. The court considered his age and the objective of eventual reintegration into society when establishing the conditions.

Dominican news reports also identified restrictions involving contact with the victim and places she frequents. Any breach of the court's requirements could result in Franco serving the full three-year term in prison.

The suspended sentence does not overturn his conviction. It establishes a punishment following the revocation of the judicial pardon.

The appeals court also upheld a 10-year prison sentence against the victim's mother. She was convicted of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering in connection with the case.

The judges additionally ordered the forfeiture of approximately 2.1 million Dominican pesos (£25,900), reported by the Associated Press as about $34,000 (£25,400), recovered from the mother.

According to AP's account of the proceedings, the funds came from Franco in exchange for her consent to the relationship with her daughter.

Wander Franco's MLB Future Faces Further Uncertainty

The latest ruling adds to the uncertainty surrounding Franco's professional baseball career. Once considered one of Tampa Bay's most promising players, Franco signed an 11-year contract worth $182 million (£135.8 million) in November 2021.

His career was interrupted in August 2023 after Dominican authorities announced an investigation into his alleged relationship with a minor.

Franco was arrested in January 2024. He has not played in Major League Baseball since August 2023 and has been placed on the league's restricted list.

The conviction could complicate any potential return to professional baseball in the United States. The Tampa Bay Times reported that legal experts considered it unlikely Franco would obtain the work visa required following his conviction.

However, that assessment does not constitute an official immigration decision. No confirmed visa refusal was established in the available reporting.

Major League Baseball also retains its own disciplinary authority. The Associated Press reported that MLB declined to comment on the October court ruling.

Franco still has an avenue to challenge the judgment through the Dominican Republic's Supreme Court of Justice.

His lawyer, Teodosio Jáquez Encarnación, told the Tampa Bay Times that the defence planned to appeal. The lawyer indicated that the team had not yet received the full written ruling.

The timing of any further proceedings remains uncertain. For now, Franco's conviction stands, and the suspended sentence is subject to the conditions imposed by the Dominican appeals court.