SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Key prosecution witnesses testified on Friday in the trial of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who faces charges of sexual abuse against a minor, before the Puerto Plata Collegiate Court in the Dominican Republic.
The trial that was initially scheduled for Dec. 12 was postponed until earlier this week and three hearings have been held.
On Thursday, the teenage girl testified behind closed doors.
Prosecutors described the evidence presented on Friday as “convincing” and “compelling.”
“Franco Aybar kidnapped the victim for sexual purposes for several days and then sent large sums of money to her mother,” prosecutors stated.
Documents that prosecutors presented to the judge last year and were viewed by The Associated Press alleged that Franco, through his mother Yudelka Aybar, transferred 1 million pesos or $17,000 to the mother of the minor on Jan. 5, 2023, to consent to the abuse.
The mother of the minor has been charged with money laundering and is under house arrest.
Franco also has been charged with sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking.
Prosecutors say that the minor’s mother went from being a bank employee to leading an ostentatious life and acquiring assets that she cannot justify using the funds she received from Franco.
Franco, who turned 24 on March 1, was in his third major league season when his career was halted in August 2023. He agreed to an 11-year, $182 million contract in November 2021. He is currently on Major League Baseball’s restricted list after initially being placed on administrative leave.
Franco, who was charged in July 2024 and is on supervised release, could face up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.
The trial is scheduled to continue Monday.
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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco speaks to his lawyer Teodosio Jaquez during his trial on charges of sexually abusing a minor, in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez)
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco sits in court during his trial on charges of sexually abusing a minor, in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez)
LONDON (AP) — Thousands of homes and businesses across northern France and southern England were without power Friday morning and residents faced widespread travel delays after a storm swept in off the Atlantic, bringing high winds, rain and snow to the region.
The low-pressure system, named Storm Goretti, pummeled the Isles of Scilly overnight with wind gusts up to 99 mph (159 kph) recorded in the archipelago off the southwestern tip of England. Local government officials reported blocked roads, unstable buildings and power outages that left some people without water.
More than 57,000 were without power across southwestern England, the Midlands and Wales, according to National Grid, which runs the country’s electricity transmission network.
As the storm moved across the United Kingdom it collided with an existing mass of Arctic air, bringing snow to northern areas and heavy rain to the south.
That extended the misery in northern Scotland, where snowplows have been working overtime to keep roads open after more than half a meter (20 inches) of snow fell earlier in the week. More than 250 schools across Scotland were closed on Friday, with some remaining shut for a fifth straight day.
National Rail warned people across the U.K. to check before traveling because the storm had disrupted services across England, Scotland and Wales. Birmingham Airport, which closed briefly due to snow, said had reopened with “reduced runway operations.”
The disruptions came after the Met Office, Britain’s national weather service, issued a rare red weather warning — its highest — in southwestern England for Thursday evening.
Red warnings are issued when the forecaster considers it “very likely” there will be life-threatening conditions.
Strong winds from Storm Goretti also battered northwestern France on Friday.
No major damage was reported, but some 320,000 homes were still without power at midday, down from 380,000 earlier, national power grid operator Enedis said. Most of the outages were concentrated in the Normandy region.
France’s national weather service, Météo-France, had issued weather warnings ahead of the storm, urging residents to remain home. An overnight wind gust of up to 213 kph (132 mph) was recorded in Gatteville-le-Phare in Normandy.
Regional train services were suspended across northwestern France, with disruptions expected to last at least until Friday afternoon. High-speed rail services were operating, and authorities said they anticipated minimal impact on flights at Paris airports.
People cross the medieval Charles Bridge during a heavy snowfall in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
A man clears snow from a walking path during a heavy snowfall in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Vehicles covered in snow are parked in Dowlais, near Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, as Storm Goretti continues in the UK. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP)
