Baseball player Wander Franco remains under arrest for relations with a minor

(CNN Spanish) — Baseball player Wander Franco will remain under preventive arrest in the Dominican Republic until the next hearing on the judicial process against him for allegedly having relations with a minor.

According to CNN, the hearing will take place this Friday at 9:00 am local time.

This Wednesday, the Public Ministry presented a request for punitive measures against Franco to Judge Olga Dina Lavarias, head of the National Directorate of Children, Adolescents and Families.

Franco’s lawyer Teodosio Jacquez insisted this Wednesday that the Public Ministry has control over “rumors and speculations that come to light through social networks”, and refused to answer more questions from the media.

Franco appeared voluntarily before a court in Puerto Plata, in the north of the Dominican Republic, on January 1 to answer the charges. The player was taken into custody after being interrogated for three hours.

Franco has been on administrative leave from the Major League since the allegations surfaced in Dominican media on August 14, 2023. Prior to this, Franco played for the Tampa Bay Rays.