Ray’s shortstop Wander Franco has been officially charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was formally charged Tuesday by prosecutors in the Dominican Republic with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl.

The public prosecutor decided to file charges four days later. the original deadline has expired on July 5, six months after a judge ordered an investigation into Franco for sexual and psychological abuse of the minors.

Nairobi Viloria, spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office, confirmed to the Associated Press that prosecutors had submitted the final and formal charges to a judge, but declined to provide further details.

The charges also refer to the minor’s mother. According to prosecutors, Franco paid the girl’s mother thousands of dollars to get her to agree to the four-month relationship. The girl’s mother remains under house arrest. The AP is not releasing the woman’s name to protect her daughter’s privacy.

Franco, 23, is on leave from Major League Baseball and the players association until 14 July.

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

Tampa Bay’s All-Star shortstop has not played since August 12 while MLB continues its investigation into a alleged relationship with a minor.

Administrative leave is not a disciplinary action under the sport’s common policy on domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse, and a player continues to receive his salary. Franco, who is paid $2 million this year, has remained in his native Dominican Republic while authorities there investigate.

Franco agreed to a $182 million, 11-year contract in November 2021.

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