SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) 鈥 A judge denied a request by Tampa Bay Rays shortstop to suspend required monthly meetings with Dominican authorities investigating allegations he had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl, according to a document The Associated Press obtained Friday.
and remains under conditional release as the investigation against the All-Star player continues.
He has not been formally charged, but Dominican authorities are allowed to detain suspects who are under investigation, with a judge later deciding whether there is sufficient evidence for charges to be filed.
Prosecutors have alleged that Franco paid the minor girl鈥檚 mother thousands of dollars for her consent to the relationship, which lasted four months. The girl鈥檚 mother is charged in the case and remains under house arrest. The AP is not naming the woman in order to preserve her daughter鈥檚 privacy.
Franco鈥檚 attorneys requested that the court return the $33,000 he had to deposit to obtain conditional release after .
The judge also denied that request after prosecutors rejected it and asked that all measures taken against Franco be upheld 鈥渟ince (his) presence must be guaranteed at each step of the process.鈥
Franco鈥檚 attorneys have appealed both decisions, which were issued in March. A ruling is pending.
Franco was having an All-Star season before being sidelined in August, when Dominican authorities began their investigation as did Major League Baseball, placing Franco on the restricted list on Aug. 14 before moving him to . Both investigations are ongoing.
MLB is likely to wait until the Dominican investigation is concluded before deciding whether there will be any discipline.
Franco, who turned 23 on March 1, was in the midst of his third major league season when his career was halted and was hitting .281 with 17 homers, 58 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 40 attempts over 112 games.
Franco signed a in 2021. His salary last year and this year is $2 million per season.
Mart铆n Adames Alc谩ntara, The Associated Press