Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of a minor in the Dominican Republic, according to ESPN’s Juan Recio.
Franco has been away from the Rays for nearly a year amid multiple investigations.
Great news from the Dominican Republic from ESPN @JuanRecioMTampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of a minor. https://t.co/GCDsSqrnsG
—Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 10, 2024
Franco has been on administrative leave since last August, when allegations that he was having a relationship with an underage girl first surfaced on social media. He has not played a game with the Rays since Aug. 12, and Major League Baseball extended his administrative leave through July 14.
An initial complaint was reportedly filed with Dominican authorities on July 17. Since then, at least two other girls have also filed similar complaints. The age of consent in the Dominican Republic is 18.
Franco was summoned by Dominican authorities in December to meet with the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Children and Adolescents, but he did not show up for the meeting, which led to his arrest and the raid of his residence in Baní.
He was arrested specifically for failing to appear, not for the sexual abuse investigation. He was released on probation and has since been required to make monthly monitoring visits before a judge. Prosecutors had a July 5 deadline to officially file charges against Franco, but were granted a 10-day extension last week.
Now that charges have been officially filed, Franco could face up to five years in prison if convicted. MLB is also still investigating Franco, which could result in a suspension regardless of his criminal charges.
The 23-year-old was in the middle of his third season in the league when he was placed on administrative leave. He was also named to the All-Star team in 2023 for the first time in his career. Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract with the Rays in 2021, though he was officially removed from the Rays’ 40-man roster before Opening Day this season.
