SANTO DOMINGO – Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Franco walks was involved in an armed altercation in a parking lot in the rural Dominican Republic and was arrested, police said Monday.

Meregirdo Espinosa, a spokesman for the Dominican police, told The Associated Press that it happened in San Juan de la Maguana, a city that is 116 miles (187 kilometers) west of the Dominican Republic’s capital Santo Domingo. Franco was arrested on Sunday. Another man and a woman were also detained, police said.

Espinosa did not say who, but said some of the men in the altercation were carrying firearms.

Franco, 23, is due to go on trial on December 12 in the northern province of Puerto Plata, in a case of sexual abuse involving a 14-year-old girl. He was also charged with sexual and commercial exploitation of a minor and human trafficking.

Franco was released on parole on January 5, four days after his arrest on the abuse charges.

Franco, who declined to speak to the media, said of the case: “Everything is in God’s hands.”

Franco was in the midst of his third major league season when his career was halted in August 2023. He agreed to a 11-year contract, $182 million in November 2021.

Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list on July 10, waiving the pay he was receiving while on administrative leave.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb