Former Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox’s mugshot shows red marks on his face after being slammed to the ground by police during an April 28 arrest for child sex solicitation in Florida. The photograph showed that his right eye was swollen.
Maddox, 33, a third-round pick by Boston in the 2012 MLB draft, was one of 27 male suspects arrested on charges of “attempting to sexually exploit children using the Internet.” There was only one person.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office worked with multiple authorities and released video footage of the success Monday. 5-day operation “Valiant Knights”, Police said it included footage of the moment Maddox was arrested at a pre-arranged location where he appeared to be meeting a 14-year-old girl for sexual encounters.
“27 men thought they were chatting with underage girls online. Instead, they were talking to detectives,” the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office wrote on social media.
“Maddox resisted arrest until my dog became involved,” police said.
in Press conference “They knew in their hearts that they were going to certain locations to meet with minors and have sex with children,” Sheriff TK Waters said Monday of the suspects.
Maddox was arrested on four felonies, including using a computer to solicit a child and traveling to meet a minor, and his bail was set at just over $300,000.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, May 28th.
Maddox’s attorney, James Hill, said he intends to contest the charges against him and will plead not guilty if formally charged.
Maddox appeared in 15 games for the Red Sox during the 2017 season.
The University of Florida product was released by the Red Sox in 2019 after battling a shoulder injury in the minors.
