Rays' Wander Franco Charged with Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Against a Minor

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has officially been charged with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor in the Dominican Republic, per ESPN's Juan Recio.

There was an initial deadline of July 5 to present charges against Franco. Recio was informed by Puerto Plata District Office Prosecutor Kelmin Duncan and the spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office, Nairobi Viloria, that they formally presented the accusation on Tuesday.

Franco has been moved to MLB's restricted list as a result of the charges:

MLB issued a statement on the matter on Wednesday:

The charges against Franco are the result of an investigation dating back to July 10, 2023, when a complaint was filed that accused him of allegedly having sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl.

Recio noted that on Jan. 3, Dominican prosecutors initially accused Franco of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering. The mother of the girl faced the same charges. After reviewing the evidence, a judge in the Dominican Republic accused Franco of a lesser charge of sexual and psychological abuse.

A 600-page document was presented to the judge that contained the evidence prosecutors found against Franco, including transcripts of interviews with the girl and her relatives as well as messages between her and Franco, per ESPN.

Franco was placed on administrative leave earlier this year and has not played in a game since last August. When the allegations first surfaced, a source familiar with the situation told MLB insider Héctor Gómez, "It will be very unlikely that Wander Franco will play in MLB again."

MLB and the MLB Players Association recently extended Franco's leave through July 14, a procedural move while his criminal case in the Dominican Republic played out. MLB is conducting its own investigation, which is not expected to be completed until after his criminal case is resolved.

The Rays signed Franco to an 11-year, $182 million contract extension in November 2021.