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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been formally charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation in opposition to a minor within the Dominican Republic.
Puerto Plata District Workplace Prosecutor Kelmin Duncan and the spokesperson for the Legal professional Normal’s Workplace, Nairobi Viloria, confirmed to ESPN’s Juan Recio they introduced the formal accusation in opposition to Franco on Tuesday, 4 days after the preliminary deadline expired on July 5.
Franco has been underneath investigation since July 10, 2023, when a grievance was filed in opposition to him for allegedly having had sexual relations with a 14-year-old woman.
Franco was initially accused by Dominican prosecutors of business sexual exploitation and cash laundering on Jan. 3; the mom of the woman, who was 14 when the alleged relationship started in December 2022, confronted the identical cost. Six days later, after additional evaluation of the proof, a decide within the Dominican Republic as an alternative accused Franco of a lesser cost of sexual and psychological abuse.
In an almost 600-page doc obtained by ESPN and introduced to the decide at a listening to in January, prosecutors shared the proof they’ve discovered of their investigation into Franco. The file consists of transcripts of interviews with the woman and her family members and messages between Franco and the woman.
Main League Baseball and the MLB Gamers Affiliation just lately prolonged Franco’s administrative depart by way of July 14, a procedural transfer to purchase extra time whereas the Dominican authorities labored on the legal case.
MLB launched a separate investigation into Franco that isn’t anticipated to be accomplished till after his legal case is resolved.
Franco, 23, agreed to a $182 million, 11-year extension contract in November 2021, simply 70 video games into his main league profession.
Data from ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Alden Gonzalez was used on this report.
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