Austin Maddox, a former Boston Red Sox pitcher, was arrested in an underage sex sting, Florida authorities announced Monday.
Maddox was one of 27 people arrested in a sex sting bust last month, according to the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office (JSO). Those arrested are facing felony charges, including human trafficking and solicitation of a child. The arrests came after a five-day-long operation.
The former pitcher is accused of communicating with an undercover agent posing as an underage girl on April 28, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing an arrest report. He allegedly expressed intent to have sex with the girl despite her saying she was only 14, the outlet reported, citing officials.
He allegedly planned to meet with the girl at a pre-arranged location, where he was ultimately arrested by police, the outlet noted. (RELATED: REPORT: Police Make High-Profile Arrests In Alleged Sex Sting Bust).
Maddox was charged with traveling to meet a child after using a computer to solicit, solicitation of a child, unlawful use of a communication device, and promoting/producing sexual performance of a child, according to inmate records. He is being held on a $300,000 bond.
His defense attorney, James Hill, told the AP the former baseball player intends to plead not guilty if formal charges are filed and will fight against the allegations.
“Our children deserve our protection, and JSO and our partner agencies will continue to conduct these sting operations to stop child predators from harming our children,” Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said at the press conference.
Maddox was drafted by the Boston Red Sox back in 2012 after playing baseball for the University of Florida, the AP reported. He spent several years in the minor leagues before debuting in the major league in 2017.
He held a spot on the Red Sox roster for roughly three months before a shoulder injury sent him back to the minors. Maddox was then released from the team in 2019, according to the AP.
