Wander Franco ordered to remain in Dominican Republic jail until Friday hearing
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who was recently arrested in the Dominican Republic amid allegations he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor, will remain behind bars for now.
On Wednesday, a judge ruled that he will remain inside a jail in the Dominican Republic until another hearing on Friday morning.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 12: Wander Franco #5 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on August 12, 2023 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Franco was arrested on Monday and is in jail in the Dominican Republic after he missed a meeting with law enforcement last week. He reportedly ignored a summons to show up and answer questions from prosecutors after hiring new attorneys.
READ: Rays place Wander Franco on the Restricted List amid allegations of improper relationship with minor
Now, government officials want to keep Franco locked up during the legal process. On Friday, the public prosecutor's office is expected to present evidence against Franco during what officials call a measure of coercion hearing.
The legal file on Franco is called "Operation Out 27" and was hand-delivered to the judge during Wednesday's hearing.
ESPN reported that police visited two homes in Franco’s hometown in Baní, but he was not located at those properties. According to the report, he was arrested as a result of his failure to appear with the prosecutor.
"He doesn’t have to answer questions, but when he was given that summons to appear, it was equivalent to him ignoring the court, and not showing up to a court hearing," stated attorney Anthony Rickman who is not associated with this case.
Reports say prosecutors say Franco is a flight risk.
"It also wouldn’t surprise me if the reason the government is holding him now on this failure to appear is because they’re anticipating charging him with unlawful sexual conduct," said Rickman. "This may be the first shoe to drop against Wander Franco."
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Franco was an All-Star for the first time this season. He signed an 11-year, $182 million contract extension in November 2021, but a team option in 2033 could make the deal worth $233 million when it is over.
Franco's last game was on Aug. 12. He was placed on leave under MLB’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy with the players' association.
"This is an individual who the Rays invested a lot into, and they don’t usually do. Somebody that our community got behind. He was the future of our organization here in Tampa," Rickman said. "And now to see it all unravel specifically this week, where he’s now under arrest , it’s shocking to see how he’s fallen so far from grace."
The Rays expressed support for the MLB investigation but have not commented on the matter since.
"We support Major League Baseball’s decision to place Wander Franco on Administration Leave," the Rays said at the time. "The Tampa Bay Rays are dedicated to upholding high standards of integrity both on and off the field. We appreciate the understanding and patience of our fans and supporters as this process unfolds. We will have no further statements on this matter until MLB completes its process."