SANTO DOMINGO – The Collegiate Court of the Judicial District of Puerto Plata has postponed the opening of the new trial against former Major League player Wander Franco, who faces accusations of psychological and sexual abuse against a teenager.
The initially scheduled hearing has been rescheduled for March 30th and 31st, and April 1st. The decision was made due to the failure of several witnesses summoned by the defense to appear.
Reopening of the Judicial Process
The reopening of the trial was ordered in December by the Court of Appeal of the Criminal Chamber of the same judicial department. This occurred after an appeal filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which challenged the sentence issued on June 27, 2025.
The appeals court determined that the case should be restarted from the trial stage, allowing new judges to evaluate the evidence and issue a new decision.
In the first instance, Franco Aybar was sentenced to two years in prison under suspension of the sentence, in addition to a fine equivalent to 10 minimum wages and the payment of legal costs. He was found guilty of violating articles 396, letters b and c, of the Code for the Protection and Fundamental Rights of Children and Adolescents (Law 136-03).
As part of the imposed conditions, he was prohibited from approaching teenagers for sexual purposes, warning him that, in case of non-compliance, he must serve the sentence in the San Felipe Correction and Rehabilitation Center, in Puerto Plata.
Situation of the Victim’s Mother
The new trial also includes the minor’s mother, who in the original sentence was sentenced to 10 years in prison for commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering. Currently, the woman is serving her sentence at the Rafey Women’s Correction and Rehabilitation Center in Santiago.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered the payment of a fine equivalent to 30 minimum wages and the seizure of various assets seized during the investigation. These assets include a plot of land in Villa Montellano, a 2023 vehicle, bank deposits in pesos and dollars, electronic devices, and funds held in bank accounts.
With this postponement, the judicial process is suspended until the end of March, when the court will resume the case from the beginning, in accordance with the decision of the Court of Appeal.
