Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has officially been charged with sexual abuse in the Dominican Republic after months of questions, investigations, and accusations.
Franco has been off the field and separated from the team for almost a year amid multiple investigations both in the Dominican Republic and inside Major League Baseball.
He is being accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a minor and has been on administrative leave from MLB since March.
Franco, 23, was arrested in the Dominican Republic in January and charged with “commercial sexual exploitation” for having relationships with girls under the age of consent, which is 18 in that country.
Prosecutors said at the time they had evidence of the alleged relationship between the player and an underage girl gleaned from postings on Franco’s social media.
Since that time, “at least two other girls have since come forward with similar allegations,” according to Yahoo Sports.
Big news out of the Dominican Republic from ESPN's @JuanRecioM: Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been formally charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor. https://t.co/GCDsSqrnsG
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 10, 2024
It appears that Dominican authorities are charging Franco with human trafficking as well. That offense carries a 20-year prison sentence.
He was also charged for failing to appear in court to face earlier charges and had gone into hiding before police conducted searches on his properties.
Franco signed an 11-year extension worth $182 million in November of 2021. But he has not played for the Rays since August 12, 2023, as the investigations into his alleged relationships have been ongoing.
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