Wander Franco has formally been charged with some disturbing crimes in the Dominican Republic.
Juan Arturo Recio of ESPN Dominican Republic reported Franco’s charges on Tuesday night. Recio shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Franco was “formally charged by Dominican authorities for the crimes of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor.”
#WanderFranco formalmente acusado por las autoriades dominicanas por los delitos de abuso sexual y explotación sexual en contra de una menor de edad.#WanderFranco formally charged by Dominican authorities for the crimes of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor.
— Juan Arturo Recio (@JuanRecioM) July 10, 2024
Franco turned 23 in March.
The filing of formal charges comes just under a year after the allegations against him surfaced. It was announced on Aug. 22, 2023 that the Tampa Bay Rays had placed Franco on leave.
Franco was once regarded as baseball’s top prospect. He also made the American League All-Star team in 2023. Not long after that, the allegations came. Franco last played for the Rays on Aug. 12.
Even before he was officially placed on leave, it was strongly speculated that Franco’s MLB career was over. Nothing that has happened since has done anything to dispel that notion.
[Juan Arturo Recio on X]
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