Wander Franco formally charged for sexually assaulting a 14-years-old girl

Dominica: The baseball shortstop, Wander Franco who played for Tampa Bay Rays got arrested this Tuesday by the officials for sexually assaulting a 14-years-old girl.

Franco has been on an administrative leave since the allegations on him have been rumoured last August. Reportedly, the mother of the child is also suspected to be associated with the case.

According to the sources, Franco have paid the child’s mother thousands of dollars to agree on the four-month relationship. The mother is also under house arrest and her identity is not yet revealed to protect the identity of the girl.

The complaint for the case was filed last year on 10^th July and Franco was asked to talk with Dominican authorities in December, but he did not show up for a face-to-face meeting with the Specialised Prosecutor’s Office for Children and Adolescents.

The failure to show up for a meeting prompted the arrest of Franco on 1st January 2024 but he was released on a conditional basis a week later.

As part the conditions of his release, he was compelled to make mandatory check-ins in the Dominican Republic on the 30th of each month.

Franco was released in January and was relieved of all the accusations of money laundering and commercial sexual exploitation. However, he was instead charged with sexual and psychological assault.

Franco has also been accused of Taking the child away from her home in Puerto Plata in December 2022 and establishing a four-month relationship with her.

Reports are that the Major league Baseball (MLB), of which Franco was a part, is performing their own investigations into Franco’s alleged relationship.

Franco, who is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop had made his debut in MLB in 2021 and became an all star in 2023. The player has not played for MLB since he has reportedly been accused of the crime.

The baseball player got married in 2021 to his girlfriend just after the 2021 MLB season and reported to have two children.