Wander Franco charged with gun possession as his trial on child sexual abuse charges continues
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who's currently on trial on charges including sexual abuse of a minor, was charged Sunday with illegal possession of a handgun, prosecutors said.
Franco was arrested Nov. 10 in San Juan de la Maguana after an altercation in a parking lot . No one was injured during the fight, and the handgun, a semiautomatic Glock 19, was found in Franco's vehicle, according to a statement from the Dominican Public Prosecutor's Office.
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Wander Franco charged with gun possession as his trial on child sexual abuse charges continues
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who's currently on trial on charges including sexual abuse of a minor, was charged Sunday with illegal possession of a handgun, prosecutors said. Franco was arrested Nov. 10 in San Juan de la Maguana after an altercation in a parking lot. No one was injured during the fight, and the handgun, a semiautomatic Glock 19, was found in Franco's vehicle, according to a statement from the Dominican Public Prosecutor's Office. Advertisement The handgun was registered in the name of Franco's uncle, prosecutors said in the statement. After the arrest, Antonio Garcia Lorenzo, one of Franco's lawyers, said that because the gun was licensed, 'there's nothing illegal about it.' Prosecutors requested that Franco stand trial on the gun charge. The 24-year-old Franco's trial in the sexual abuse case — involving a girl who was 14 years old at the time of his alleged crimes — is ongoing. The charges in that case include sexual abuse of a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking. According to prosecutors, Franco kidnapped the girl for sexual purposes and 'sent large sums of money to her mother.' Advertisement Franco, who is on supervised release, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Franco was playing his third major league season when his career was halted in August 2023 because of the allegations. He agreed to an 11-year, $182 million contract in November 2021. He is currently on Major League Baseball's restricted list. ___ AP MLB: The Associated Press
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3 hours ago
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Rays' Wander Franco faces new charge resulting from November gun incident
Prosecutors in the Dominican Republic have filed a formal charge of illegal possession of a firearm against Rays shortstop Wander Franco and requested a trial, several publications reported Sunday. The charge stems from an altercation Franco had in November in San Juan de la Maguana with a man in the parking lot of an apartment building. Police at the time said the incident stemmed from a fight over a woman's attention, describing it as 'a heated dispute of a passionate nature.' In a news release issued Sunday, authorities wrote: 'The prosecution body (...) requests through the instance that the opening of a trial be issued against the accused because there are sufficient elements of relevant and pertinent evidence that demonstrate that the defendant has compromised his criminal responsibility,' authorities wrote in a news release. The charge is not related to the trial currently taking place in Puerto Plata in which Franco faces charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor and human trafficking stemming from a relationship with a then-14-year-old girl that started in December 2022, when Franco was 21. News of the filing of the gun charge in the San Juan de la Maguana Court of Investigation was reported by Dominican newspapers Listin Diario and Diario Libre, along with other outlets. A Glock firearm with its magazine and 15 rounds of ammunition was found in the Mercedes-Benz vehicle in which Franco was traveling, both newspapers reported. Franco did not have documentation for the gun, which was registered to Branly Fernando Lugo Rodríguez. Franco identified the man as his uncle. According to Diario Libre, attorney Teodosio Jáquez said the gun was in the trunk of the car, Franco was unaware it was there, and he never touched it. As soon as Rodriguez became aware of the situation, Jáquez said, per he went voluntarily to the San Juan de la Maguana Prosecutor's Office. There, he produced documents showing his license to carry and possess a firearm, and the current renewal. Franco's trial on the sexual abuse charges is scheduled to resume Monday morning, with the prosecution introducing more witnesses. That trial is expected to last three-four months. Franco on Sunday posted a photo on social media of him playing for the Rays along with a Bible verse, Psalm 97:10, in Spanish. Translated to English, it reads:" Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked." • • • Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida. Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports. Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.
