SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who was found guilty earlier this 12 months of sexually abusing a minor, was detained by police on Tuesday and admitted right into a clinic within the Dominican Republic for mental health issues, in accordance with authorities.
The request to have him detained and admitted got here from his family, police spokesman Col. Diego Pesqueira told The Associated Press. He noted that Franco’s admittance into a personal clinic in his hometown of Baní isn’t linked to any legal issues.
Last weekend, the 24-year-old player took to social media to denounce that $16,000 had supposedly been stolen from a resort where he was staying.
His attorney, Teodosio Jáquez, later said there was confusion over the incident and that the cash was found. Franco, nevertheless, rejected his attorney’s remarks and insisted the cash had been stolen.
In June, Franco was convicted of sexually abusing a minor and was given a two-year suspended sentence.
He had been arrested in 2024 after being accused of getting a four-month relationship with a lady who was 14 on the time, and of transferring hundreds of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship.
Franco’s future within the MLB is unknown, although he has said he remains to be training.
In November 2021, Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract, but his profession was abruptly interrupted in August 2023, when Dominican authorities announced they were investigating him..
Franco was arrested again in November last 12 months following what Dominican authorities called an altercation over a girl’s attention. He was charged with illegally carrying a semiautomatic Glock 19 that police said was registered to his uncle.
That case remains to be pending in court.
Six months after his arrest in 2024, Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list, which cut off the pay he had been receiving while on administrative leave.
He was placed on that list because he didn’t report back to the team and would want a brand new U.S. visa to accomplish that.
