Sports

Pirates P Vazquez facing 21 new charges


Pennsylvania prosecutors filed 21 new charges against Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez after investigators said they found evidence of child pornography on his phone and laptop.

FILE PHOTO: Sep 12, 2019; San Francisco, CA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Felipe Vazquez (73) pitches the ball against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The felony charges filed Tuesday in Westmoreland County include 10 counts of child pornography, 10 counts of unlawful contact with a minor and one count of corruption of a minor.

Vazquez, 28, was already facing multiple felony charges in both Pennsylvania and Florida alleging sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl. He was originally arrested in September by Pennsylvania State Police on a warrant issued by authorities in Florida.

According to court documents, a search of his iPhone XS and Apple MacBook Pro led to Tuesday’s additional charges. Police found seven photographs and three videos of a girl “in various stages of nudity,” wrote Trooper Michael Thompson in the criminal complaint.

Vazquez is also facing multiple charges in Lee County, Fla., involving the same accuser.

The judge on Tuesday denied Florida’s request for extradition.

“He will stay until the charges are disposed of in this county,” Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rita Hathway said, per The Tribune-Review.

Vazquez is being held without bail in the Westmoreland County Prison.

Major League Baseball placed Vazquez on administrative leave in September under its joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.

—Field Level Media



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