Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox was one of several people arrested in Jacksonville, Fla. for soliciting sex from minors, officials announced Monday. The police arrested 27 men, aged 19 to 69, as part of “Operation Valiant Knights,” which took place across five days in April.
Maddox was arrested and charged with four felonies: Traveling to meet after using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child, soliciting a child by computer. The 33-year-old is being held on $300,00 bail, and will appear in court May 28.
According to Jacksonville officials, Maddox began to communicate with an undercover agent posing as an underage girl on a website called “Skip The Games.” Maddox “expressed his intent to have sex with the girl” even after he was told of her age.
The two agreed to meet at a pre-determined location, where Maddox was ultimately arrested.
“Former Major League Baseball player Austin Dean Maddox resisted arrest until our K9 got involved,” a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office stated in a video shared to social media.
James Hill, one of Maddox’s attorney’s, said he will fight the allegations against his client, and enter a not guilty plea, per The Associated Press.
Maddox appeared in 13 games for the Red Sox in 2017.
