Tampa Bay Rays’ star shortstop, Wander Franco, faced legal trouble in his native Dominican Republic as he was arrested on Monday. The arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation into alleged inappropriate relationships with minors. Franco had been scheduled for an interview with prosecutors on December 28, but he failed to appear, prompting concerns.
Accompanied by his legal team, Franco finally met with prosecutors on Monday, and the interview lasted nearly three hours. This development comes after prosecutors and police had visited two of Franco’s properties in BanĂ, his hometown, in late December to request his appearance, but he was not found at either location.
The arrest on Monday was a consequence of Franco’s failure to attend the originally scheduled meeting. Under Dominican law, he must be brought before a judge within 48 hours. It’s important to note that no criminal charges have been filed against Franco in connection with the allegations of inappropriate relationships with minors.
Multiple individuals have taken legal action against Franco, and he is also being investigated for reportedly having a relationship with a third minor, although no formal complaint has been made to authorities by the third individual.
Major League Baseball had placed Franco on paid administrative leave back in August when the allegations first surfaced, and the league has been conducting its investigation into the matter.
The Tampa Bay Rays initially expressed their support for MLB’s decision to place Franco on leave and pledged to cooperate with the investigation. Since then, the team has refrained from commenting on the situation.
In November 2021, after 70 games into his MLB career, Franco and the Rays agreed to an 11-year, $182 million contract extension, showcasing the high hopes the franchise had for the young talent.