Former Red Sox Pitcher Arrested in Florida Child Predator Operation

A former Major League Baseball player, Austin Maddox, has been arrested in Florida as part of a "child predator operation," according to local authorities. Maddox, who briefly played for the Boston Red Sox in 2017, was taken into custody last month along with 26 other individuals in a multi-agency underage sex sting.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters revealed in a news conference that Maddox had allegedly traveled with the intent to engage in sexual activity with a 14-year-old child. The arrest report cited by the Associated Press states that Maddox began communicating with an undercover agent posing as a teenage girl on April 28, and even after discovering her age, he expressed his intent to have sex with her.

Authorities arrested Maddox at a location where he had arranged to meet the girl. A video released by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office shows Maddox resisting arrest until a K-9 unit intervened.

Following his arrest, Maddox has been charged with four felony counts, including traveling to meet after using a computer to solicit a child. He is currently being held on a $300,000 bond. Maddox's defense attorney, James Hill, informed the AP that his client intends to plead not guilty and fight the allegations.

Austin Maddox was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2012 and spent several years in the minor leagues before making his major league debut in 2017. However, his time in the majors was short-lived due to shoulder injuries, and he returned to the minors shortly after. The Red Sox released him in 2019.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the child predator operation, which aimed to protect minors from potential harm by identifying and apprehending individuals seeking illicit activities with underage individuals.