Getty Felipe Vazquez in action for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Los Angeles in August 2019.
Felipe Vazquez is the pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who was arrested on September 17 after being accused of child porn possession and having a sexual relationship with a minor in Florida. As a result of the arrest, Vazquez has been placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball.
You can read Vazquez’s full arrest affidavit here.
Authorities Allege That Vazquez Began a 2-Year Relationship With a Minor When She Was 13 Years Old
According to a statement from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Vazquez, 28, who is nicknamed “Nightmare,” has been the subject of an investigation since August 2019 when investigators received reports that the Venezuela-native had had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl. The press release from the FDLE reads, “The victim, now 15 years of age, was continuing to have a relationship with Vazquez via text messaging and received a video in July from him in which he is shown performing a sex act. Additionally, Vazquez allegedly sent the victim text messages suggesting they would meet for sex after his baseball season was over.”
The FDLE went on to say that Vazquez’s home in Pennsylvania was raided on September 17 with “electronic devices” being seized. Vazquez is being held at Allegheny County Jail and will be extradited to Lee County, Florida, where the teenager lives. The press release from the FDLE refers to Vazquez as living in Saint Cloud, Florida which is in Osceola County, some 170 miles west of Lee County. The arrest affidavit reads in one section, “The victim and suspect maintained contact via text messaging on their respective cellular phones when the victim moved to Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida.”Vazquez is facing charges of one count of computer pornography and one count of providing obscene material to minors.
Vazquez Had Been the Subject of Trade Rumors Throughout the Summer of 2019
GettyFelipe Vazquez pictured in action on September 12.
Vazquez had been the subject of major trade rumors during the summer of 2019. In July, he told TMZ that he was a big fan of both New York and Chicago, as the Yankees and the Cubs were rumored destinations. In 2019, he had a 1.65 E.R.A., 28 saves with 90 strikeouts. Although more recently, Vazquez was known for being involved in a brawl with fellow reliever Kyle Crick which resulted in a season-ending injury for Crick.
Vazquez Signed a $22 Million Contract in 2018
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Vazquez is 6-foot-2 and weighs 210 pounds, according to his official Major League Baseball profile.
In 2018, Vazquez signed a 4-year/$22,500,000 deal with the Pirates. That deal included a $2 million signing bonus with the $22,500,000, guaranteed at a salary of around $5,625,000 per year.
Vazquez Changed His Name to Reflect His Close Relationship With His Sister, Prescilla Vazquez
Vazquez changed his name from Felipe Rivero in April 2018 as Vazquez is his sister, Prescilla’s, name. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported at the time that Vazquez lived with his sister in Florida in the off-season. Vazquez is a two-time all-star. Vazquez’s sister serves as his agent.
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