Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox was arrested in Florida as part of an underage sex sting, authorities announced on Monday. Maddox was one of 27 people arrested in a multi-agency operation late last month, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said. They are accused of soliciting sex over the internet from people they believed to be children, officials said.
Shocking footage showed the moment the former baseball player was ambushed by police, who were waiting to arrest him. They piled on top of his body before taking him into custody. He is currently being held in jail on a $300,000 bond after being slapped with multiple charges of soliciting sex.
Disgraced Star
He is charged with four felony counts, including traveling to meet after using a computer to solicit a child. James Hill, a defense attorney for Maddox, said he intends to fight the allegations against him and will enter a plea of not guilty should formal charges be filed.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released a video revealing their child predator operation.
In the video, Maddox is seen resisting arrest until a police K9 gets involved. He is shown on video being tackled by at least six officers and a police dog as he walks into his home, where the officers are seen siding hiding.
Maddox, 33, began communicating with an undercover agent pretending to be an underage girl on April 28, according to an arrest report.
Maddox "expressed a desire to commit lewd acts," investigators revealed.
After he found out the girl was just 14 years old, Maddox allegedly said, "That's young, baby. I get in trouble for that. You can't even drive. You gonna stay with me all night?"
Maddox agreed to meet the girl at a pre-arranged location, where he was subsequently arrested by law enforcement officers, authorities said.
Future Doomed
Maddox played college baseball 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 spending several years in the minors.
During the 2017 season, Maddox, who is unmarried, played in 13 games for the Red Sox.
He spent around three months on the Red Sox roster before returning to the minors due to shoulder injuries. Maddox was released from the team in 2019.
Along with Maddox, Kevin Pearce, a Duval County Public Schools maintenance worker, and Mayo Clinic respiratory therapist Chad Sadlowski were also arrested in the operation, Sheriff T.K. Waters said. Malcolm McGee, a sergeant working for the Army National Guard, was also arrested.
