is reportedly facing legal issues in the Dominican Republic, as he has been placed under arrest following an interrogation by prosecutors. The arrest is related to allegations of inappropriate relationships with minors, though no criminal charges have been filed against Franco so far.
The Tampa Bay Rays had placed Franco on the restricted list in August and later on administrative leave over social media allegations involving minors. The young baseball star did not play for the rest of the 2023 season.
Wander Franco has been arrested after interrogation in the Dominican Republic, per @hgomez27 pic.twitter.com/ofmgTF1W1r
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) January 1, 2024
Recent developments indicate that Franco was issued a summons by Dominican prosecutors in late December, which he reportedly did not respond to. Subsequently, after an investigation, he was arrested. He is scheduled for arraignment on January 3, and prosecutors are expected to request that Franco be held in jail without bail.
There have been at least two lawsuits filed against Franco regarding inappropriate relationships, and he is reportedly under investigation for a third case involving a minor.
Law enforcement officials searched Franco"s home and his mother"s residence on December 26. Authorities also visited his uncles" homes the next day, but Franco was not found at any location. His wife was instructed to have Franco contact the authorities.
Despite efforts to summon him, Franco reportedly fired his legal representation, preventing them from delivering the summons. The Tampa Bay Rays have not commented on the recent reports surrounding Franco"s legal situation.
As the situation unfolds, Franco is set to appear before a Court of Investigation, and he will remain in custody until then, according to reports from ESPN and Z101 Digital.
