Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco found guilty of sexually abusing a minor
1 of 2 | Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco claps after the final out of a 7-3 win over the Texas Rangers during a baseball game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., in 2023. File Photo by Steve Nesius/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been found guilty of sexually abusing a minor in the Dominican Republic, but under terms of the deal, the star player's 2-year prison sentence was suspended.
Although not all of the conditions were announced, Franco must abide by rules set forth by the judge, which include abstaining from approaching underage girls with sexual intentions, Sports illustrated reported.
Franco was accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl when he was 21 and an up-and-coming star with the Rays, and said then that the girl's mother had approved of the relationship.
The victim said publicly that her mother saw her relationship with Franco as a way to enrich herself and the mother is alleged to have received $1,500 a month from Franco to keep the relationship with her daughter secret.
"Since I was little my mother has seen me as a way for her to benefit from both the partners she has had and my partner, and it's something that I really dislike," the minor said, according to the Dominican news outlet Noticias, which reviewed court records.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but ESPN reported that among them, Franco is prohibited from approaching minors with sexual intentions. If he fails to follow the conditions, he will serve two years in prison. Prosecutors originally sought a 5-year prison sentence.
The girl's mother, Vanessa Chevalier Almonte, was found guilty of sex trafficking and sentenced to a decade in prison, ESPN's Juan Recio reported.
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