Pirates’ Vazquez charged with sex crimes in Florida and Westmoreland County
Pitcher being held in Allegheny County Jail
Pirates relief pitcher Felipe Vazquez was charged early Tuesday in Florida and later in the day in Westmoreland County with various sex crimes, including attempting to have sex with a teenage girl he met at a baseball game.
The All-Star pitcher was being held at the Allegheny County Jail to await an extradition hearing next week. He was denied bail during an arraignment hearing in which a district judge deemed him to be a “flight risk.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which announced the first set of charges, began its investigation last month after agents obtained information that
Mr. Vazquez had a relationship with a 13year-old girl — now 15 — who lives in Lee
County, Fla.
FDLE agents and Pennsylvania State Police served a search warrant Tuesday at Mr. Vazquez’s apartment on Railroad Street in the Strip District. Police said he was arrested without incident. They said several electronic devices were seized and would be examined as part of the investigation.
State police scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. Wednesday in Greensburg to release information about the Westmoreland County charges. An affidavit of probable cause in that case was unavailable Tuesday.
“Today we were made aware of an active law enforcement investigation involving Felipe Vazquez and his subsequent arrest,” Pirates President Frank Coonelly said in a statement. “We take this matter, and these charges in particular, extremely seriously.”
Mr. Coonelly said the team had informed the baseball commissioner’s office, which immediately
placed Mr. Vazquez on leave. He said the team would have no further comment on the the case for the time being.
According to an incident report from the Lee County sheriff’s office, the teenage girl said she met Mr. Vazquez “at the stadium in Pennsylvania where they took a photograph outside the bullpen.” The report does not specify whether that stadium was PNC Park.
The girl said she then found Mr. Vazquez on social media, and the two communicated by phone and text messages for three years.
The report also said the girl mentioned an incident in which Mr. Vazquez drove to her home to visit her. The victim said “at one point during the visit [Mr. Vazquez] pulled her pants down while they were in his car, placed the victim on top of his lap, and attempted,” unsuccessfully, to have intercourse with her.
It was unclear whether the incident was consensual, investigators said.
Separately, in an affidavit filed by a special agent with the FDLE, Mr. Vazquez is charged with giving obscene material to a minor and soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using computer services or devices. Both are felonies.
According to the affidavit, Mr. Vazquez texted a pair of photographs and a video to the girl July 16 — the day of a Pirates game against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
The photos and video did not show Mr. Vazquez’s face, but they included “unique” tattoos later linked to him, the affidavit said. A week later, on July 23, the girl’s mother texted Mr. Vazquez from her daughter’s phone, informing Mr. Vazquez that he was communicating with a minor, the affidavit said.
According to the news release announcing the arrest, the girl had received a video from Mr. Vazquez in July showing him performing a sex act. Mr. Vazquez also sent the girl text messages suggesting they should meet for sex after the baseball season was over.
Mr. Vazquez was arraigned Tuesday afternoon at City Court in Pittsburgh, where he he appeared via video from the Allegheny County Jail. Eileen Conroy, a senior district judge, said she would not grant him bail.
“I do believe there is a flight risk,” she said. “My understanding is further charges will be filed against the defendant.”
She did not elaborate, but the charges from Westmoreland County appeared on a court docket later in the afternoon.
Those charges, filed at District Judge Charles D. Moore’s office in Scottdale, include statutory sexual assault of a victim who is at least 16 years old by a person who is at least 11 years older than the victim; unlawful contact with a minor; corruption of a minor by a defendant who is 18 years old or older; and indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old. The offenses allegedly occurred on Aug. 1, 2018.
Mr. Vazquez’s attorney, Michael Comber, declined to comment.
During the brief arraignment hearing in Pittsburgh, Mr. Comber argued that there was no reason to keep Mr. Vazquez, a native of Venezuela, in jail because he was a seven-year legal resident of the United States with ties to Florida and Pittsburgh, because he had no criminal history, and because he was willing to surrender his passport and green card as a condition of his release. Mr. Comber said Mr. Vazquez’s child lives in Florida.
He said Mr. Vazquez had “no basis or reason to flee” and asked for a monetary bond.
Mr. Vazquez spoke during the hearing only to say his name and acknowledge that he understood the proceedings.
He is scheduled to appear for an extradition hearing at 9 a.m. Sept. 25 in the Allegheny County Courthouse.
Mr. Vazquez joined the Pirates in 2016 and is among the best closers in the baseball. This season, he has 28 saves in 31 opportunities to go with a 5-1 record and a 1.65 ERA. He was voted to the National League All-Star team the past two seasons.
Before their game Tuesday against Seattle at PNC Park, the Pirates’ clubhouse opened about 20 minutes later than normal, following a meeting called by Mr. Coonelly, general manager Neal Huntington and manager Clint Hurdle.
When reporters entered, Mr. Vazquez’s locker stall was completely empty.
Pitcher Chris Archer was the only Pirates player who spoke and did so passionately, calling the mood around the team “somber,” adding that “nobody is jumping for joy.”
“Whether it’s true or untrue, somebody’s life is going to be — and has already been — deeply affected by this,” he said.
“These allegations are very, very serious,” Mr. Archer said. “The term that was used earlier was heinous. Again, right now, as far as we know, they’re just allegations. There’s not a lot we can say. I do have a 14year-old sister. So it’s something that hits home. In the U.S., you’re innocent until proven guilty. So until due process is completely played out, we’re hoping that this stuff’s not true.”
Asked about the situation, Mr. Hurdle cited the organization’s statement but did talk about the need to press forward and let the authorities handle everything else.
“A lot of different emotions were stirred up [Tuesday] in a lot of different places,” Mr. Hurdle said. “How do we connect and support our way through those emotions? How do we continue to find ways to improve and hold ourselves to a high standard on and off the field? What can we do from an organizational standpoint to help with any questions, any thoughts? We need to communicate together.”