Former Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star closer Felipe Vazquez was sentenced Tuesday to two to four years in Pennsylvania state prison on statutory sexual assault charges involving a girl who was 13 when the relationship began.
The 30-year-old Vazquez was found guilty on 15 charges in May by a jury in Westmoreland County, Pa. He was convicted on 10 counts of child sexual abuse, two counts of unlawful contact with a minor and one count each of statutory sexual assault, corruption of a minor and indecent assault of someone under 16.
Vazquez has reportedly served nearly two years in jail and will be eligible for a parole hearing later this year.
He was arrested in September 2019 after the girl’s mother called police. The mother found text messages and pictures from Vazquez on her daughter’s phone after the family had moved from Pennsylvania to Florida. Vazquez met the girl in 2017.
Vazquez didn’t deny the sexual relationship but said he didn’t know the girl was 13. Vazquez’s attorney said the girl misrepresented her age.
Major League Baseball suspended Vazquez when the charges first were revealed.
Vazquez also is reportedly facing similar charges in Florida and Missouri.
Vazquez spent five years in the majors with the Washington Nationals (2015-16) and Pittsburgh (2016-19), making the National League All-Star team in 2018 and 2019. He recorded 89 saves, a 17-13 record and a 2.61 ERA in 323 career games.
–Field Level Media
