Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez charged with solicitation of a child in Florida, police say
Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez was arrested and charged with one count of computer pornography, including solicitation of a minor and one count of providing obscene materials to minors, according to a Lee County felony arrest and multiple reports.
Vazquez, who legally changed his name from Felipe Rivero in 2018, was a National League All Star in 2018 and 2019.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Pennsylvania State Police arrested Vazquez in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, and is facing extradition to Lee County according to Pittsburgh’s CBS affiliate, KDKA.
According to WINK-TV, the CBS affiliate in Fort Myers, Vazquez, who lives in Saint Cloud, allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old female victim, who lives in Lee County.
The victim, now 15, allegedly received a video in July from Vazquez performing a sex act, according to WINK. Vazquez also allegedly sent the victim a text message saying they would meet after the baseball season was over, according to multiple reports.
Investigators began looking into Vazquez in August, according to multiple reports, and seized his electronic devices for forensic examination from his Pittsburgh apartment.
According to ESPN, Major League Baseball is putting Vazquez on administrative leave following his arrest.
This story was originally published September 17, 2019 at 2:25 PM.
