MLB star Wander Franco smiles as he exits Dominican courtroom in sexual abuse trial after 14-year-old alleged victim’s attorney pushed for DISMISSAL

Beleaguered Major League star Wander Franco was spotted laughing as he left a courtroom in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday after a preliminary hearing in his trial for alleged sexual abuse of a minor was postponed until Sept. 26.

Additionally, an attorney for the alleged victim has filed a motion to dismiss the case, citing insufficient evidence.

The Tampa Bay Rays shortstop, who is still on leave from Major League Baseball, is accused of sexually and psychologically abusing a 14-year-old girl. He has been charged with sexual abuse of a minor, exploitation of a minor and human trafficking in the case that dates back a year.

According to prosecutors in the Dominican Republic, Franco is also accused of giving thousands of dollars to the girl’s mother to consent to the abuse.

The former All-Star’s preliminary hearing was rescheduled for Sept. 26 because Franco’s defense team was not notified in advance of the audiovisual evidence the prosecution would present.

Wander Franco is accused of sexually and psychologically abusing a 14-year-old girl

Dinora Pimentel, the attorney for the minor’s father, William Gonzales, told reporters he will request that the charges against Franco be dropped due to lack of evidence.

Franco was seen walking with one of his attorneys and did not stop to answer questions from the many reporters who surrounded his SUV outside the courthouse.

He was initially suspended by the Rays last season before being placed on administrative leave through June 1 — per an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA, ESPN reported. Following the charges, MLB moved Franco from administrative leave to the restricted list, though ESPN’s Jeff Passan cautioned that this is “not a disciplinary action.”

Franco will still receive his $2 million salary, despite not having played in an MLB game since the allegations first arose in the summer of 2023. He is under contract through 2032 and is reportedly owed $174 million.

Charges of money laundering and sexual exploitation were dropped earlier this year after Franco was released from prison. He was held for a week after failing to respond to a summons from prosecutors.

In April, a judge in the Dominican Republic denied Franco’s request to end his monthly contacts with authorities and return his bail of about $35,000.

Prosecutors allege, based on testimony from the girl and other family members, Franco paid the 14-year-old girl’s mother thousands of dollars in cash and other gifts in exchange for the mother’s consent to have a sexual relationship with her daughter.

He was also accused by prosecutors of “taking the minor from her home in Puerto Plata in December 2022 and having a relationship with her for four months with the consent of the girl’s mother,” the Associated Press reported.

Prosecutors say Franco began a relationship with the girl when she was 14

According to the Code for the Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents, Law 136-03 in the Dominican Republic, sexual abuse is considered any relationship between a minor and a person five years older.

Prosecutors said Franco began a relationship with the girl when she was 14 and he was 21.

Franco was named to the All-Star Team for the first time last season and is considered one of the most promising young players in Major League Baseball.

He is married to his childhood sweetheart Rachelly Paulino, as DailyMail.com first revealed last summer.

The couple have a five-bedroom home in Tampa, purchased for $1.55 million in May 2023, and two children together, born in 2018 and 2022.

The Rays have struggled in his absence in 2024, sitting at just 59-60 this season.

Tampa, however, has another significant talent at shortstop: Junior Caminero, who was recalled to the majors this week.

The 21-year-old shortstop is hitting .274 with 16 home runs this season for Triple-A Durham.