Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox has been arrested in Jacksonville as part of a child predator sting operation, according to a report from Boston 25 News.
Maddox is charged with traveling to meet after using a computer to solicit a child, solicitation of a child via computer to engage in sexual conduct, unlawful use of a two-way communication device and producing or promoting performance which included sexual performance by a child.
The police report states that Maddox chatted with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl on the website “Skip the Games.” He later continued the conversation via text message and arranged a place to meet for sex.
Investigators say that Maddox “expressed a desire to commit lewd acts” and upon learning the girl’s age said “That’s young, baby. I get in trouble for that. You can’t even drive. You gonna stay with me all night?”
Maddox arranged a meeting with the girl for April 28 and was arrested upon his arrival. A video showed law enforcement officials waiting in hiding before tackling Maddox to the ground. He suffered injuries as a result while being taken into custody.
Maddox was not the only person to be arrested as part of the child predator sting, which was dubbed “Operation Valiant Knights.” Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters revealed that undercover officers posing as children spoke with 27 men, including Maddox, who solicited sex over the internet.
Both the FBI and Homeland Security also assisted the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.
Maddox is a native of Jacksonville who played college baseball for the Florida Gators. He was later drafted in the third round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Red Sox and spent the first few seasons of his career playing in the lower levels of the team’s farm system.
Maddox made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2017 and pitched 17.1 innings that season. However, he was later put on the disabled list with a shoulder injury and retired from baseball in 2020 after being released by Boston one year prior.
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