Rays shortstop Wander Franco is officially charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl | Sport

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been formally charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in the Dominican Republic.

Six months after a judge ordered an investigation into the sexual and psychological abuse of the girl, prosecutors filed multiple charges against Franco.

Nairobi Viloria, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, confirmed to the Associated Press on Tuesday that prosecutors had submitted the final and formal charges to a judge.

The charges also involve the girl’s mother. According to prosecutors, Franco paid the girl’s mother thousands of dollars to consent to the abuse, which lasted four months. The girl’s mother remains under house arrest and is accused of money laundering.

To protect her daughter’s privacy, AP is not naming the woman.

The most serious charges Franco faces are rape, for which he faces a prison sentence of between 10 and 15 years, and human trafficking, for which he faces a prison sentence of between 15 and 20 years in the Dominican Republic.

Franco, who is earning a salary of $2 million this year, has remained in the Dominican Republic while authorities investigate. Since January, he has been required to make monthly visits to the court. In April, he requested that the visits be suspended, but the judge refused.

Franco will stand trial in a court in the province of Puerto Plata in the north of the country, where the incidents are alleged to have occurred.

Franco, 23, is on leave until July 14 due to an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association.

Administrative leave does not constitute disciplinary action under the Joint Sports Policy on Domestic Violence, Sexual Abuse and Child Abuse, and a player will continue to receive his salary.

“We are aware of the charges against Mr. Franco,” MLB said in a statement Wednesday. “Our investigation is ongoing and we will continue to closely monitor the case as it progresses.”

Tampa Bay’s All-Star shortstop has not played since August 12. Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract in November 2021.

Jay Reisinger, Franco’s U.S.-based attorney, said Tuesday he could not comment because Franco had not received formal notification of any charges.

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