PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic — A judge on Friday ordered Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Wonder Franco to be released on parole while he is investigated for allegations he had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl and gave her mother a car and thousands of dollars in trade for her consent, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.
The judge said Franco is allowed to leave the Dominican Republic but must return once a month to meet with authorities. He was also ordered to pay 2 million Dominican pesos ($34,000) as a bond while the investigation continues.
Franco, who was expected to be released early Saturday, did not speak to reporters after the hearing ended. During a bathroom break earlier in the day, he briefly told reporters that “everything is in God’s hands.”
Supporters who gathered outside the court applauded after the decision and shouted “Boss! Boss!” in reference to Franco. Franco’s father, also known as Tramp Franco, exclaimed, “God is just.”
The 22-year-old All-Star player is accused of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering. The judge in the case Rumaldi Marcelino had several options to rule on Friday: release Franco on bail, temporarily arrest him, prevent him from leaving the Dominican Republic or require him to appear from time to time until the investigation or trial is over.
The girl’s 35-year-old mother, who faces the same charges as Franco, was placed under house arrest while the investigation continues. She smiled slightly as she left the courtroom, but did not comment. The AP is not naming the woman to protect her daughter’s privacy.
Franco, who was detained Monday in the northern province of Puerto Plata, has not been charged with any crimes. The judge received a nearly 600-page document detailing the evidence gathered by prosecutors during a months-long investigation.
Attorneys for the athlete have not commented, other than that Franco is doing well.
Prosecutors said the investigation began after they received an anonymous tip in July 2023, stemming from someone who saw a media post alluding to the relationship. The AP was unable to verify the reported publication.
Authorities accuse Franco of taking the minor from her home in Puerto Plata in December 2022 and having a four-month relationship with her with the consent of the girl’s mother.
They accuse Franco of sending the mother monthly payments of $1,700 for seven months and buying her a car “to enable the relationship and let her go out with him wherever she wanted,” according to the document, which cited the girl.
The girl was also quoted as saying she asked a local digital media site to publish a story about her alleged relationship with the baseball player because she was “tired” of her mother, who she accused of taking Franco’s money and not sharing any of that with her.
Days later, Franco posted a live video claiming it was a scheme to extort money from him, the document said.
In September 2023, authorities raided the home of the girl’s mother and seized 800,000 Dominican pesos ($13,700), as well as $68,500, which they said was found hidden behind a picture frame. Another seizure at another home revealed a guarantee certificate from a local bank for 2.1 million Dominican pesos ($36,000), which they said was supplied by Franco for the girl’s “commercial and sexual exploitation”.
They also seized a Suzuki Swift valued at $26,600, according to the document. Authorities note that days before the car was purchased, the teenager’s mother had the equivalent of $821 in her bank account. The mother also bought property in Puerto Plata worth $36,000, they said.
Authorities also said Franco’s mother sent money to the girl’s mother, but she has not been charged in the case, although they said she got involved “to avoid her son’s tracks with the accused.”
Franco arrived at the court in Puerto Plata on Friday morning and remained silent as he was accompanied by a group of journalists who peppered him with questions. The girl’s mother, who works at a local bank and wore sunglasses, also declined to comment as she was escorted to the courtroom.
Outside, a small group of young Dominican players dressed in baseball gear gathered to support Franco, carrying placards that read “Free Franco” and “We are all Franco.”
Franco had a stellar season before being suspended in August when authorities in the Dominican Republic began investigating allegations he had a relationship with a minor. Major League Baseball began its own investigation, placing Franco on the restricted list on August 14 before placing him on administrative leave on August 22. Both investigations are ongoing.
Franco signed an 11-year, $182 million contract in 2021. His salary last year and this year is $2 million per season.
