GREENSBURG, Pa. — Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez was sentenced Tuesday to two to four years in state prison for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in Westmoreland County.
Vazquez was found guilty in May on 15 charges: 10 counts of sexual abuse of children, two counts of unlawful contact with a minor and one count each of statutory sexual assault, indecent sexual assault and corruption of a minor.
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During the trial, Vazquez did not deny the sexual relationship he had with the teenager, but he did deny knowing that she was only 13 years old.
Vazquez’ attorney claimed the teen misled his client about her age.
Investigators said Vazquez and the girl began a relationship in 2017 and it continued until he was arrested in 2019. The investigation began after the girl’s mother found photos from Vazquez on her daughter’s cellphone and called police.
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The prosecution painted a picture of Vazquez grooming the teenager and calling her “kid” in texts.
In addition to the prison time, Vazquez’s sentencing Tuesday included two years of probation and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
He will be eligible for parole next month as he has already served 23 months in jail since his arrest. But that could be delayed as prosecutors are also building cases in Florida and Missouri for additional alleged crimes that occurred with the same victim.
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