D.R. judge orders Rays SS Wander Franco release as investigation continues - ESPN

A judge on Friday ordered the conditional release of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco 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 exchange 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 also was ordered to pay 2 million Dominican pesos ($34,000) as a type of deposit as 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 courthouse clapped after the ruling and shouted «Boss! Boss!» in reference to Franco. Franco's father, also named Wander Franco, exclaimed, «God is just.»

The 22-year-old All-Star is accused of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering. The judge in the case, Rumaldi Marcelino, had several options for a ruling Friday: release Franco on bond, temporarily arrest him, prevent him from leaving the Dominican Republic or demand that he make occasional appearances until the investigation or a trial has ended.

The girl's 35-year-old mother, who faces the same accusations as Franco, was ordered held under house arrest as the investigation continues. She smiled slightly as she left the courtroom but did not comment. The AP is not naming the woman in order to preserve her daughter's privacy.

Franco, who was detained Monday in the northern province of Puerto Plata, hasn't been charged with any crimes. The judge has received a