The Tampa Bay Rays shortstop recently appeared in a Dominican court accused of having a short-term relationship with a 14-year-old girl and offering her mother a small car and thousands of dollars in exchange for her consent, reports reported.of Associated Press.
Wander Franco, 22, is accused of money laundering and commercial sexual exploitation.
Although Mr. Franco has been charged with a crime, the report notes that the judge overseeing the case has four options for how to deal with Mr. Franco in the meantime: “Either temporarily arrest him, prevent him from leaving the Dominican Republic, or demand that: He appears in court from time to time until the investigation or trial is concluded. ”
The teen's mother is facing the same charges as Franco, according to reports. The woman's identity was not disclosed in order to keep the identity of the minor girl confidential.
Franco was taken into custody on Monday but has not yet been charged with any crime. However, the judge reported that prosecutors received a 600-page document detailing evidence collected during the month-long investigation. CBS News.
An anonymous tip provided to authorities in July 2023 ultimately sparked the investigation. The anonymous person said he had seen media posts suggesting Franco may have had an affair with a 14-year-old girl.
Authorities also suggested that Franco abducted the underage girl from her home in Puerto Plata in December 2022 and had a four-month relationship with her. According to reports, the girl's mother agreed to her continuing the relationship.
Prosecutors said Franco paid the girl's mother $1,700 a month for seven consecutive months “to allow her to have a relationship and to go anywhere she wanted with him.” He said he sent money and bought a car. girl.
After becoming “fed up” with her mother, the underage girl went on to demand that details about her relationship with Franco be published on a local digital media site. She accused the girl of taking money that her mother had given her and that she did not share some of it with herself.
Authorities searched the mother's home last September and ultimately found 800,000 Dominican pesos (equivalent to about $13,700). They also reportedly found another $68,500 hidden behind a picture frame.
A separate seizure at another location uncovered a 2.1 million Dominican peso (approximately $36,000) bond issued by a local bank that was clearly linked to Franco's sexual exploitation of teenage girls. It was associated with a payment provided for that purpose.
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