Appeals court orders new trial for Wander Franco
An appeals court in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday ordered a new trial for Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who was previously found guilty of sexually abusing a minor and received a two-year suspended sentence. The court cited flaws and omissions and reassigned the case to a new judicial panel; prosecutors, who had sought five years, said the original evidence was sufficient and expect the same result at retrial. The ruling also grants a new trial to the victim’s mother, who had been sentenced to 10 years for trafficking.
📌 Key Facts
- Dominican appeals court ordered a new trial on Tuesday
- Franco had received a two-year suspended sentence after a guilty verdict
- Prosecutors had sought a five-year sentence and say they expect to win again
- Defense attorney Tedosio Jáquez said the court found numerous procedural flaws
- The victim’s mother, sentenced to 10 years, was also granted a new trial
📊 Relevant Data
In 2022, the incidence of child sex trafficking in the commercial sex industry in the Dominican Republic was 2.2%, a decrease from 10% in 2014.
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: Dominican Republic — United States Department of State
In 2023, 34 girls were identified as victims of domestic sex trafficking in the Dominican Republic, representing the majority of the 65 domestic sex trafficking victims identified that year, most of whom were Dominican.
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: Dominican Republic — United States Department of State
Dominicans of Haitian descent, numbering over 100,000 in a country with a population of approximately 11 million (about 0.9% of the population), face higher vulnerability to human trafficking due to statelessness and discrimination.
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: Dominican Republic — United States Department of State
Dominican women and children from impoverished areas are particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking both domestically and abroad.
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: Dominican Republic — United States Department of State