According to Dominican attorney Juan Arturo Recio, the investigation into Tampa Bay Rays All-Star shortstop Wander Franco’s suspected contact with a child is in its early stages and might take months.
Recio, who also works as a general editor for ESPN Deportes in the Dominican Republic, said on Wednesday that if Franco does not have a lawyer who can speak for him, hiring one would be “a good idea.”
“It’s critical to understand that under our laws, there are no consensual relationships between a minor and an adult,” Recio added. “There are not any mitigating factors.”
Dominican officials stated they are unable to give specifics because they are investigating, collecting information, and confirming other data.
“For the time being, we ask for your patience because any information disclosed may impede the process,” stated the Attorney General’s Office.
Adult-minor relationships are forbidden in the Dominican Republic by Law 136-03, which specifies the Code for the Protection of Fundamental Rights of Children and Adolescents. This legislation provides for jail penalties ranging from two to five years in length, as well as fines. Such relationships are classified as sexual abuse by Dominican authorities. This is true even if the kid consents.
According to El Nuevo Diario, a party from Major League Baseball travelled to Peravia province on the Dominican Republic’s southern shore on Monday as part of the league’s inquiry. The National Agency for Boys, Girls, Adolescents, and Family and Gender Violence Unit, which is overseeing the Franco investigation and is overseen by Dominican judge Olga Diná Llaveras, a child abuse expert, is also based in Peravia.
Recio claims that this is the first publicly reported incidence of underage difficulties affecting a Dominican baseball player in a nation where baseball is the most popular sport. Baseball, known as “pelota” in the Caribbean island, is often seen as a means of overcoming poverty and aspiring to a better future.
On Sunday, social media messages claimed Franco had an improper interaction with a kid in the Dominican Republic. The next day, Franco and the Rays mutually agreed that he would be put on the restricted list for at least a week and “take leave from the club” while Major League Baseball’s inquiry was ongoing. Depending on the outcome of the inquiry, the stay might be prolonged. The Rays have agreed to pay Franco while he is on the disabled list.
Some Dominicans feel Franco’s charges are extortion against a rich athlete, while others believe he is guilty.
“But one thing is certain: Baseball is both a conservative and family-oriented sport,” said Enrique Rojas, an ESPN Deportes reporter who is Dominican and resides in Central Florida.
“While some people may be unaffected by a tarnished reputation, that is not the case in baseball.” “It’s unusual to hear about a baseball player being involved in such a relationship,” Rojas said. “And even in this liberal country, there is a strict stance against offences involving sexual activities with minors.”
Since becoming a Major League Baseball team in 1998, the Rays have quickly and routinely diversified their roster with Latino players. This practise has accompanied the signing of million-dollar contracts, such as Franco’s, the largest deal in Rays history: $182 million over 11 years and up to $223 million over 12 years. As a result, Dominican supporters in Tampa Bay took the news as a smack in the face.
“The allegations are so serious that they could have an impact on the future of one of our best players,” said Miguel Mieses, 38, a Dominican parent from Riverview and Rays supporter. “I no longer want to support him as a player because he is involved in such a delicate situation.”
Another Dominican, Francisco Martinez, 54, of Tampa, feels Franco is not innocent but believes some females would go to great lengths for fame and money.
Wendy Dominguez, 51, of Seffner, said it was awful to see Franco embroiled in such turmoil.
“He should know that crossing that line is not appropriate.”
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