Wander Franco returns to court in Dominican Republic in sexual abuse case
Dominican baseball player Wander Franco will return to a courtroom next week as an investigation continues into alleged physical abuse, sexual abuse and commercial exploitation of a minor.
Wander Franco returns to court in Dominican Republic in sexual abuse case
Star shortstop Wander Franco will appear before a court next week in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, according to The New York Times. Judge Marcelino Henríquez will interview the adolescent at the centre of the investigation into alleged sexual abuse.
Franco faces accusations of physical and sexual abuse, as well as commercial sexual exploitation of a minor. According to prosecutors, the athlete allegedly gave thousands of dollars in cash and other gifts to the young woman's mother in exchange for her consent to maintain a sexual relationship with the minor.
Dominican law, specifically the Code for the Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents (Law 136-03), establishes that any relationship between a person under the age of majority and another person who is at least five years older constitutes sexual abuse. At the time the alleged acts occurred, Franco was 21 years old and the minor was 14.
During the hearing on 8 February, the judge may certify the minor's prior testimony so that it can be included in any formal charges that prosecutors present, without requiring her to attend a potential trial. Subsequently, another judge will decide whether Franco will face judicial proceedings, which could extend until the summer.
Court documents obtained by media outlets detail that the minor described a conflictive relationship with her mother. She also recounted that Franco took her to various social events whilst paying her mother approximately 100,000 pesos over seven months. The young woman also indicated that the accused gave her 2.7 million Dominican pesos, just over 48,000 dollars, so that she could support herself until reaching the age of majority or to pay for her university studies.
Prosecutors have a six-month timeframe to continue the investigation against Franco and against the minor's mother, who faces the same charges plus money laundering. The deadline for presenting formal charges is 5 July, although they could request an extension of up to two months. Once charges are filed, a preliminary hearing will be held where a judge will evaluate whether legal requirements are met before a possible trial.
The offences attributed to Franco carry a sentence of between three and twenty years in prison. Franco has been released on the condition that he must appear before the court once a month.
Source: Google News DM — Crime