SANTO DOMINGO – The Collegiate Tribunal of the Judicial District of Puerto Plata has postponed the opening of the new trial against Wander Franco, former Major League player, who faces accusations of psychological and sexual abuse against a teenager.
The hearing, initially scheduled, has been rescheduled for March 30 and 31, and April 1.
The main reason for the postponement lies in the absence of several key witnesses, cited by the defense, who were not formally notified to appear at the trial.
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 decision was made after accepting an appeal filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, challenging the sentence issued on June 27, 2025.
The appeals court determined that the case must be reviewed from the trial stage, allowing new judges to evaluate the evidence and issue a new decision, in accordance with the law.
In the first instance, Franco was sentenced to two years in prison, but the sentence was suspended. In addition, he was ordered to pay 10 minimum wages and court costs. He was found guilty of violating provisions of article 396, letters b and c, of the Code for the Protection and Fundamental Rights of Children and Adolescents (Law 136-03).
Among the established conditions, it was ordered that the accused not approach adolescents for sexual purposes. In case of non-compliance, he must serve the sentence at 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 custodial sentence, he was ordered to pay a fine equivalent to 30 minimum wages and the seizure of various assets seized during the investigation, including a plot of land, a vehicle, bank deposits, sums of money and electronic devices.
With this postponement, the judicial process is suspended until the end of March, when the court will resume the case from the beginning, following the guidelines of the Court of Appeal.
