Pitcher Felipe Vazquez Charged With Sexual Assault Of Little one
Felipe Vazquez gained’t be making an look on the baseball subject any time quickly.
The pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates was arrested Tuesday (September 17) morning and charged with a number of felonies in each Pennsylvania and Florida, together with statutory sexual assault, ESPN studies.
In Florida, Vazquez was charged with “pc pornography/soliciting a baby” and “offering obscene materials to minors.”
In Pennsylvania, he’s been charged with three felonies, which embody statutory sexual assault of a minor 11 years or older, illegal contact with a minor, and corruption of minors.
He’s additionally been charged with one misdemeanor in his workforce’s residence state for indecent assault of an individual lower than 16 years outdated, studies ESPN.
“FDLE’s investigation started in August of this 12 months after brokers obtained info that Vazquez had a reported sexual relationship with a 13-year outdated feminine sufferer who resides in Lee County,” the Florida Division of Regulation Enforcement mentioned in a press release.
“The sufferer, now 15 years of age, was persevering with to have a relationship with Vazquez by way of textual content messaging and obtained a video in July from him during which he’s proven performing a intercourse act,” the FDLE assertion continued. “Moreover, Vazquez allegedly despatched the sufferer textual content messages suggesting they’d meet for intercourse after his baseball season was over.”
After a search of his Pittsburgh condo, investigators seized a number of digital units to be examined, which may result in extra prices, the assertion particulars.
On Tuesday, Vazquez was taken into custody on a felony warrant out of Lee County in Florida and appeared in court docket in Pittsburgh by way of video hyperlink from a jail in Allegheny County, PA.
He was denied bail and the choose mentioned she believed him to be a flight threat, The Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette studies.
Whereas it’s unclear whether or not the fees in Pennsylvania have been associated to the 28-year-old pitcher’s prices in Florida, authorities mentioned he confronted extradition to Lee County from the Allegheny County jail the place he’s at the moment being held.
“Right this moment, we have been made conscious of an energetic legislation enforcement investigation involving Felipe Vazquez and his subsequent arrest,” Pirates president Frank Coonelly mentioned in a press release Tuesday (September 17), in accordance with Main League Baseball.
“We take this matter, and these prices particularly, extraordinarily significantly,” Coonelly continued. “We now have knowledgeable the Commissioner’s Workplace of the investigation and arrest. The Commissioner’s Workplace will instantly place Felipe Vazquez on administrative depart [and, as a result, restricted list] pursuant to the Joint MLB/MLBPA Coverage.”
Vazquez, who will proceed to be paid whereas on administrative depart, is scheduled for an extradition listening to on the Allegheny County Courthouse on Sept. 25, the Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette studies.
“We must be respectful to all concerned and the continuing authorized continuing,” Coonelly added. “Consequently, the group, our employees and gamers can’t remark any additional presently.”
By Tuesday afternoon, Vazquez’s locker at PNC Park was cleaned out and the pictures of him on the outside of the stadium and in promotional materials across the ballpark have been eliminated, in accordance with MLB.com.
“We’re human beings. You’ll be able to really feel it in your abdomen,” Pirates’ starter Chris Archer mentioned, in accordance with MLB.com, including that the gamers have been unaware of something past what has been publicly reported. “There’s positively an uneasiness.”
