An appeals court in the Dominican Republic granted prosecutors’ request to revoke a judicial pardon previously awarded to Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco. The ruling essentially upheld Franco’s conviction for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor and left him with a suspended three-year prison sentence. The decision was announced Oct. 29, 2026, in Santo Domingo.
Franco will not be required to serve time in custody as long as he maintains a fixed residence and remains under judicial supervision. If he violates any of the conditions, he will be required to serve the full three-year sentence. Franco retains the right to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic.
Appeals court revokes pardon
The Dominican Public Prosecutor’s Office argued that the original pardon rested on an erroneous interpretation of legal provisions intended for exceptional circumstances. Prosecutors maintained that those circumstances did not apply to Franco’s case. Franco’s defense team objected to the request, but the appeals court ruled in favor of the prosecution.
The court imposed the conditional terms while considering Franco’s age and supporting his eventual reintegration into society. Neither Franco nor his legal counsel offered a statement after leaving the courthouse. Major League Baseball declined to comment.
Franco has not played in the majors since 2023
Franco was arrested in January 2024 after being accused of a four-month relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time and of transferring thousands of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship. He was originally convicted in June 2025. Six months later, the Tampa Bay Rays placed Franco on the restricted list, ending the pay he had been receiving while on administrative leave.
Franco has not played in the major leagues since. His career was halted in August 2023 after authorities in the Dominican Republic announced an investigation into an alleged relationship with a minor. The court also upheld a 10-year prison sentence for the girl’s mother, who was found guilty of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering.
The court ordered the forfeiture of approximately $34,000 found in the mother’s possession. The funds were identified as money provided by Franco in exchange for her consent to the relationship with her daughter. Prosecutors said after the hearing that they had substantiated their charges through multiple trials.
Franco’s contract and Rays status
Franco signed a $182 million, 11-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays in November 2021. His career was interrupted before he could continue under that agreement after authorities announced the investigation in August 2023. The restricted-list placement later ended his pay while he remained on administrative leave.
Franco remains subject to judicial supervision and the conditions attached to his suspended sentence. He also retains the right to appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic. A violation of the conditions would require him to serve the full three-year prison sentence.
FSB Take
The ruling keeps Franco under court-ordered conditions while preserving a potential appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic. His baseball status also remains defined by the verified facts: the Rays placed him on the restricted list, and he has not played in the major leagues since the investigation halted his career in August 2023. Any violation of the judicial conditions would carry a full three-year prison sentence.
Source: Original report