All-Star Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vázquez has been arrested on charges of pornography and soliciting a child.
The 28-year-old pitcher is being accused of exchanging obscene material with an underaged girl, dating back to when she was only 13, according to authorities.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says Vázquez was arrested Tuesday in Pittsburgh on a felony warrant out of Lee County, Florida. Vázquez, who off-season lives in Saint Cloud, Florida, was booked for solicitation of a child, providing obscene material to minors and possession of computer pornography.
Law enforcement officials say their investigation began last month after they “obtained information that Vázquez had a reported sexual relationship with a 13-year-old female” in Florida. Court paperwork reports that the mother of the victim, who is now 15, found messages in her daughter’s phone from Vázquez, saying they would meet up after baseball season.
According to CBS Pittsburgh, the victim found Vázquez on social media and the two began talking. She also told officials that Vázquez pulled her pants down while they were inside his car, and tried to have sex with her.
CBS Pittsburgh reports that investigators say the girl also allegedly received a video in July from the pitcher, in which he is shown performing a sex act.
According to the arrest warrant, Vázquez was identified as the suspect by photos and videos of numerous tattoos found on the victim’s cellphone that were unique to those on the pitcher’s body.
Vázquez is being held in the Allegheny County Jail and is facing extradition back to Florida, where the case will be prosecuted.
