Wander Franco Update: Controversial Rays shortstop formally charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor

Things are getting worse for Wander Franco. That's because, according to the latest update provided by Juan Arturo Recio, the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop has been formally charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor in the Dominican Republic.

If the allegations are proven to be true, Franco might be looking forward to five years jail time. Major League Baseball is also following the matter closely while carrying out its investigation.

The allegations, which first surfaced last year in August, have rendered Franco out of majors, as he's currently on administrative leave. Franco had an alleged relationship with a minor in the Dominican Republic, where the age of consent is 18 years.

After an initial complaint was filed on July 17, two similar allegations of the same nature have also come forward. The 23-year-old was coming off an All-Star season in 2023 and was signed to an 11-year, $182 million contract in 2021.

---

Wander Franco arrested in January after missing summons from prosecutor's office

During the last week of December, Wander Franco was summoned to meet the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Children and Adolescents in Santo Domingo. However, the MLB star missed the meeting, prompting a search warrant to be issued to search his properties in his home residence in Bani, according to AP.

According to Diario Libre, Franco was arrested by the authorities in January for his absence from the meeting and not because of any developments in the investigation. Following his arrest, he was released on a conditional waiver and a sum of $34,000.

Apart from detaining Franco, authorities also detained the mother of the minor who had filed the complaint last year. During September 2023 at the mother's home, the authorities reportedly found:

"800,000 Dominican pesos ($13,700) as well as $68,500 they said were hidden behind a frame."

Moreover, a guarantee certificate from a local bank worth 2.1 million Dominican pesos ($36,000) was also seized.

In the prosecutor's filing, Franco is accused of:

"taking the minor away from her home in Puerto Plata in December 2022 and having a four-month relationship with her with consent from the girl's mother."

It remains to be seen how the legal process plays out, with Wander Franco now formally charged.