Former Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox is arrested in Florida in an underage sex sting
- Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox was arrested in Florida last month
- Maddox was one of 27 people arrested late as part of a multi-agency operation
- He is suspected of four crimes
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox was arrested in Florida as part of a sexual affair involving minors, authorities announced Monday.
Maddox, 33, of Jacksonville, Florida, was one of 27 people arrested late last month as part of a multi-agency operation, Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters said.
They are accused of having sex online with people they thought were children, officials said.
He is charged with four felonies, including traveling to a meeting after using a computer to solicit a child.
Jax Sheriff’s Office has released a video exposing their child snatching operation. The video shows Maddox resisting arrest until police became involved.
Video shows him being tackled by at least six officers and a police dog.
Maddox “expressed a desire to commit lewd acts,” investigators said. When he found out the girl was 14 years old, he reportedly said, “That’s young, honey. That gets me into trouble. You can’t even drive a car. Will you stay with me all night?’
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox was arrested in Florida as part of a sex ring involving minors, authorities announced Monday
Maddox began communicating with an undercover officer posing as an underage girl on April 28, according to an arrest report.
He expressed his intention to have sex with the girl even after she told him she was 14, officials said.
Maddox agreed to meet the girl at a prearranged location, where he was arrested by law enforcement, authorities said.
James Hill, an attorney for Maddox, said he plans to fight the allegations against him and will enter a plea of not guilty if formal charges are filed.
Maddox, 33, was one of 27 people arrested late last month as part of a multi-agency operation, Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters said.
Maddox played college ball for the University of Florida and was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2012. He made his major league debut with the team in 2017 after several years in the minors.
Maddox, who is unmarried, played in 13 games for the Red Sox during the 2017 season.
He spent about three months on the Red Sox roster before returning to the minors to recover from shoulder injuries. In 2019, he was fired from the team.
He is being held in jail on a $300,000 bond.
Along with Maddox, Kevin Pearce, a maintenance worker for Duval County Public Schools, and respiratory therapist Chad Sadlowski of the Mayo Clinic, were also arrested during the operation, Waters said.
Malcolm McGee, who works as a sergeant for the Army National Guard, was also arrested.