Dominican prosecutors requested on Monday that suspended Tampa Bay Rays player Wander Franco, who faces charges of sexual abuse involving a girl who was 14 years old at the time of the alleged crimes, be sentenced to five years in prison.

The prosecutors said in court there is sufficient evidence to prove Franco had a relationship with the minor for four months and that he transferred large sums of money to the minor’s mother to consent to the illegal relationship.

During raids on the house of the minor’s mother, prosecutors say they found $68,500 and $35,000 that they allege was delivered by Franco.

“We are requesting a five-year prison sentence for the proven crime of sexual abuse against a minor,” said prosecutor José Martínez said.

The prosecutors also asked that Wander be sentenced to prison in Puerto Plata and that the minor’s mother be sentenced to 10 years in prison, arguing she sexually trafficked her daughter.

In a previous hearing, prosecutors said the evidence was “convincing” and “compelling.”

“What is Wander? Is he an accomplice of Vanessa or is he the material author of the criminal conspiracy offense?” said Irina Ventura, one of Franco’s lawyers arguing ambiguities on the part of the prosecutors.

Franco’s lawyers also asked the court to dismiss the case.

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 ($17,000) to the mother of the minor on Jan. 5, 2023, to consent to purported abuse.

Franco 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.

A’s BREAK GROUND

With mounds of dirt, construction vehicles and the exact location where home plate will be at the new A’s Ballpark serving as the backdrop Monday morning, team owner John Fisher stood in front of a large gathering with one message: “We are Vegas’ team.”

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, state and local government dignitaries, former Athletics greats such as Rollie Fingers and Dave Stewart, Little Leaguers and many others looked on as the team celebrated the groundbreaking of a $1.75 billion, 33,000-person capacity ballpark in Las Vegas that is expected to be finished in time for the 2028 season.

Nevada and Clark County have approved up to $380 million in public funds for the project.

“I have no doubt this is done in 2028,” team president Marc Badain said. “You know the workforce here; they’re all here and ready to get going.

“It’s nice to see the validation a day like today brings and what the next three years will mean for the community and for the construction project and the jobs and everything else that you’re going to see as this building comes out of the ground starting as early as tonight.”

ARIZONA APPROVES $500M FOR D-BACKS

The Arizona Diamondbacks are one small step from securing up to $500 million to help with renovations to the team’s downtown home Chase Field.

The Arizona House of Representatives voted to approve House Bill 2704 by a 35-20 margin on Monday. It would recapture sales taxes from the stadium and other adjacent buildings over the next 30 years and reinvest them into infrastructure at the retractable roof structure, which has been home to the D-backs since 1998 and is owned by the Maricopa County Stadium District.

The only remaining hurdle is for Gov. Katie Hobbs to sign the legistation. The Diamondbacks say they’ll contribute $250 million of the team’s money to the cause.