Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez moved to Westmoreland prison on child sex charges
Suspended Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez was booked into the Westmoreland County Prison on Monday.
Sheriff’s deputies transported Vazquez from the Allegheny County Jail, where he has been held for nearly a week after his arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting a former Scottdale teenage girl.
The 28-year-old relief pitcher is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
Vazquez was arrested Tuesday at his Strip District home by Pennsylvania State Police, who served an arrest warrant from Florida police. Authorities there accuse Vazquez of sending sexually explicit photos to the girl, who now lives in Florida, and soliciting sex via text message.
Pennsylvania troopers the same day filed sexual assault charges against Vazquez, alleging that he drove to the girl’s home in Scottdale in August 2017, when she was 13. He is accused of sexually assaulting her in his red Ford Mustang, which he parked in the driveway of her home.
Vazquez had been held without bail in Allegheny County since his arrest.
Westmoreland County President Judge Rita Donovan Hathaway signed an order Friday authorizing the move ahead of Vazquez’s arraignment hearing.
The allegations came to light in August when the girl’s mother found explicit messages on her phone and called police in Florida. Authorities there reported the situation to Pennsylvania police.
Vazquez is charged with statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact, corruption of minors and indecent assault in Westmoreland County. State police intend to keep him here until the case is resolved.
He is charged in Florida with giving obscene material to a minor and soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct.
During an interview with troopers last week, Vazquez admitted to touching the girl and attempting to have sex with her, according to court papers.
Vazquez, a two-time All-Star, was placed on administrative leave from the Pirates. He was acquired during the 2016 season in a trade with the Washington Nationals.
Last year, the Venezuela native legally changed his name from Felipe Rivero.
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
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