Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vázquez was sentenced on Tuesday for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2017. Vázquez, who was arrested in September 2019 and found guilty in May 2021, will serve two to four years in a state penitentiary, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Vázquez's lawyer, Gary Gerson, explained what comes next to the Post-Gazette:
"He's been incarcerated 23 months today," Gerson said Tuesday. "Eventually he will be transported to the Department of Corrections processing center in Camp Hill. In one month, [Vazquez] will be at his minimum sentencing eligible for parole, and, of course, he'll have to have a parole hearing and things of that nature.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement offered the following insight into Vázquez's arrest:
FDLE agents, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police, arrested Felipe Vazquez, 28, of Saint Cloud, FL, for one count of computer pornography - solicitation of a child and one count of providing obscene material to minors. Vazquez, a baseball player with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was taken into custody in Pittsburgh this morning on a felony warrant out of Lee County, Florida.
FDLE's investigation began in August of [2019] after agents obtained information that Vazquez and a reported sexual relationship with a 13-year-old female victim who resides in Lee County. The victim, now 15 years of age, was continuing to have a relationship with Vazquez via text messaging and received a video in July from him in which he is shown performing a sex act. Additionally, Vazquez allegedly sent the victim text messages suggesting they would meet for sex after his baseball season was over.
It's worth noting that Vázquez could face additional punishment. He has outstanding charges in two other states (Missouri and Florida) related to this same case.
Vázquez was a two-time All-Star with the Pirates and spent five seasons in MLB. He last pitched in 2019.
