Wander Franco possibly "unlikely" to return to MLB

[johnnygreen]

Wander Franco ‘Unlikely’ to Return to MLB Amid Investigation, per Report

https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/08/17/rays-wander-franco-unlikely-to-play-in-mlb-again-report

This story is wild. He signed an 11 year deal for $182M less than two years ago. His MLB career may be over because of an inappropriate relationship with a minor.

[Vermont Green]

I found more.  Appears she may be 14 years old, but the story says there are pictures of her driving a car and drinking alcohol.  There is a wide range for what the truth may be here.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/baseball/look-wander-franco-social-media-posts-alleged-minor-victim-mlb-investigating-rays-player

Wander Franco was removed from the Tampa Bay Rays lineup and placed on the Restricted List as MLB investigates his alleged relationship with a young girl. News broke on social media recently that the All-Star shortstop had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Franco is 22.

Franco has denied having any kind of relationship with Loredana Chevalier, who is his accuser and claims to be 14. On social media, however, fans have discovered pictures of Franco kissing the person who appears to be the alleged minor.

On Instagram, Franco refuted the reports:

“They say that I’m in public with a little girl, that I’m running around with a minor. People don’t know what to do with their time. They don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s why I prefer to be on my side & not get involved with anybody.”

Pictures of Chevalier with a child, potentially her own, as well as of her driving a car and drinking alcohol appear to have been scrubbed from her social media as well. The entire situation is under investigation.

The story made headlines because Loredana Chevalier stated that she had an inappropriate relationship with Wander Franco. She came forward because she allegedly didn't receive the hush money he was supposed to have been paying her.

Franco was then removed from the Rays lineup and this entire investigation began. It is worth bearing in mind that none of this is proven. At the time of writing, Franco has not been formally charged and there is no evidence of any crime. It is an active investigation and further updates will be provided.

[Birdman]

Wow talking about blowing a career especially blowing that money which he probably won’t get…hopefully it’s not true but if it is, he should & hopefully be lock up for a very long time

[hwangjini_1]

Wow talking about blowing a career especially blowing that money which he probably won’t get…hopefully it’s not true but if it is, he should & hopefully be lock up for a very long time

we know next to nothing about this situation and the context. let's not incarcerate people based soley upon such flimsy and incomplete knowledge.

as radical as this idea may seem for CS, let's wait and see before passing any judgements.

[Neurotic Guy]

Wow talking about blowing a career especially blowing that money which he probably won’t get…hopefully it’s not true but if it is, he should & hopefully be lock up for a very long time

we know next to nothing about this situation and the context. let's not incarcerate people based soley upon such flimsy and incomplete knowledge.

as radical as this idea may seem for CS, let's wait and see before passing any judgements.

This

[Roy H.]

Interestingly, in Florida if you are 24 years or younger, you can legally have sex with a 16 year old.  But, "she told me she was 16 / showed me an ID / acted like a 16 year old" isn't typically a legal defense (although a jury may be sympathetic).

[gouki88]

Interestingly, in Florida if you are 24 years or younger, you can legally have sex with a 16 year old.  But, "she told me she was 16 / showed me an ID / acted like a 16 year old" isn't typically a legal defense (although a jury may be sympathetic).

Unsurprising yet nonetheless nasty

[trickybilly]

Wow talking about blowing a career especially blowing that money which he probably won’t get…hopefully it’s not true but if it is, he should & hopefully be lock up for a very long time

we know next to nothing about this situation and the context. let's not incarcerate people based soley upon such flimsy and incomplete knowledge.

as radical as this idea may seem for CS, let's wait and see before passing any judgements.

I was going to type "he should rot in hell" before reading your comment. TP.

[Moranis]

Interestingly, in Florida if you are 24 years or younger, you can legally have sex with a 16 year old.  But, "she told me she was 16 / showed me an ID / acted like a 16 year old" isn't typically a legal defense (although a jury may be sympathetic).

Unsurprising yet nonetheless nasty

age of consent in most states is 16, but there are upper limits until you turn 18.  Florida like most states is 23 (though Florida's law is more an exception as the age of consent is actually 18 they just have an exception that if you are 16 or 17 then it isn't statutory rape if the person is no older than 23).   The law has been that for awhile to stop disgruntled parents from accusing their daughters boyfriends of statutory rape when the boy turned 18 before the daughter did.  You know two high school seniors in an intimate relationship that became a crime because of a birthday.  So the law got changed in many places to reflect that.

That said this alleged relationship took place in the Dominican Republic and I have no idea what their laws are.

[Roy H.]

Interestingly, in Florida if you are 24 years or younger, you can legally have sex with a 16 year old.  But, "she told me she was 16 / showed me an ID / acted like a 16 year old" isn't typically a legal defense (although a jury may be sympathetic).

Unsurprising yet nonetheless nasty

age of consent in most states is 16, but there are upper limits until you turn 18.  Florida like most states is 23 (though Florida's law is more an exception as the age of consent is actually 18 they just have an exception that if you are 16 or 17 then it isn't statutory rape if the person is no older than 23).   The law has been that for awhile to stop disgruntled parents from accusing their daughters boyfriends of statutory rape when the boy turned 18 before the daughter did.  You know two high school seniors in an intimate relationship that became a crime because of a birthday.  So the law got changed in many places to reflect that.

That said this alleged relationship took place in the Dominican Republic and I have no idea what their laws are.

That was one of my initial thoughts:  was this in Florida, or outside the country?  Because, like it or not, certain countries have vastly different cultural norms.

That said, the Dominican is actually stricter than Florida:  the age of consent is apparently 18, with no "close in age" exceptions:

https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/dominican-republic

[Vermont Green]

If he really was having a sexual relationship with this girl and she really is 14, then he is justifiably in serious trouble.    I guess we will see if those are really the facts in the case.  I think it is a bit premature at this point to conclude that he will never play in MLB again.  I of course can't know what the real facts are here but the whole thing seems a little off to me so things may not be what they seem.