Recently, Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco faced a setback in his legal battle as a judge in the Dominican Republic rejected his request to cease monthly check-ins with the police while awaiting potential criminal charges related to an alleged sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl.
Legal Defense’s Arguments
Franco’s lawyers had asked the judge to remove the requirement of reporting to authorities every month and to return his bail, which was set at 2 million Dominican pesos. They argued that the circumstances had changed significantly since the initial decision was made in January. However, the judge, Pascual Francisco Abreu Venezuela, deemed the measure necessary to ensure Franco’s presence throughout the legal process and subsequently denied the request.
The judge emphasized that Franco and the prosecutors had until July to formally charge the player, giving them a six-month period to do so. The case has been ongoing for over eight months since photos of Franco and the girl surfaced on social media, leading to his placement on paid administrative leave by the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite ongoing investigations by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, Franco’s future with the team remains uncertain.
While Franco continues his training in the Dominican Republic, the Rays still have a contractual obligation to pay him $174 million over the next nine years. His status with the team hinges on the outcome of the legal proceedings, with the potential for changes based on new developments in the case. As the legal battle unfolds, the fate of Wander Franco’s career hangs in the balance, leaving fans and analysts alike eagerly awaiting the resolution of this controversial case.