Pirates All-Star pitcher Felipe Vazquez admitted Tuesday to police that he had a sexual encounter with a 13-year-old girl, according to a criminal complaint released Wednesday in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
Vazquez, now 28, called the incident in August 2017 “sex but not really” in an interview Tuesday morning with police, according to the complaint, that went into graphic detail about the admitted incident that allegedly happened on the driveway of the girl's house in Scottdale, an hour's drive southeast of Pittsburgh — and appeared to belie Vazquez's description of events.
Vazquez was arrested Tuesday on a Florida warrant that accuses him of using a computer device to solicit a child for sex and providing obscene material to a minor. The same girl, who is now 16, is the alleged victim in both cases, Pennsylvania State Police confirmed Wednesday during a news conference in Greensburg.
Less than 24 hours earlier, on Tuesday, shortly after 3 p.m., Pirates president Frank Coonelly, GM Neal Huntington and manager Clint Hurdle gathered dozens of players and team personnel inside the home clubhouse at PNC Park, where they addressed one of the most difficult days any of them had experienced, the Post-Gazette reported.
Vazquez had been arrested at his Strip District apartment, confirming what players had begun to see on social media.
"These allegations are very, very serious,” Chris Archer said shortly after the meeting ended. "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 14-year-old sister. So, it’s something that hits home."
Vazquez's Miami-based representatives didn't respond to Omnisport's requests for comment following his arrest.
According to police, the girl and her family moved to Florida after the 2017 incident and it was there that the girl’s mother discovered electronic communication between the girl and Vazquez and alerted authorities, which led to the warrant being executed Tuesday.
Police say there currently is no indication of additional alleged victims in the cases.
According to the Post-Gazette, the messages delivered by the Pirates were all similar in nature: Although they obviously are shocked, they want to press forward together as a team.
“We are professional, and we do have a job to do … (b)ut this is in our mind. There’s no hiding that,” Archer said.
He also admitted, "We’re human beings. You can feel it in your stomach. There’s definitely an uneasiness. We’ve addressed it, so that feels a little bit better. For the sake of the family, for the sake of the organization and for the sake of Felipe, we hope this gets resolved. We can all put it behind us as soon as possible.”
Vazquez is being held without bond in the Allegheny County Jail. He was expected to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon. And a state patrol spokesman said he expects Vazquez to face the Pennsylvania charges before he is extradited to Florida.