Ex-Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez expelled from U.S., returned to Venezuela
Dec. 7—Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez has been returned to his native Venezuela, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Vazquez, 32, was taken to Venezuela on Dec. 1 by members of Enforcement and Removal Operations in the Philadelphia Field Office.
He was convicted in Westmoreland County court in 2021 of sexually assaulting a then-13-year-old Scottdale girl and having inappropriate communication with her for nearly two years starting in 2017. Vazquez was sentenced to two to four years in a state prison.
In a news release issued Wednesday, the agency said Vazquez was admitted to the United States on June 1, 2017, in Miami.
"(Vazquez's) removal demonstrates ERO Philadelphia's commitment to protecting U.S. persons from predators regardless of their public persona or status," director Cammilla Wamsley said in the announcement.
In May, an immigration judge with the Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered the removal of Vazquez. He was taken into custody by the Philadelphia Field Office on Sept. 20, four years after his arrest in 2019 by state police.
At trial, prosecutors said he met the girl online and they exchanged sexually explicit messages before a sexual encounter. Investigators said Vazquez, during the summer of 2017, drove to the teen's home while her parents were out of town and engaged in sexual activity with her inside his sports car.
Vazquez contended at trial he believed the girl was an adult and that she lied about her age. His appeals were rejected, according to court records.
In three-plus seasons with the Pirates, the two-time All-Star reliever compiled a 15-9 record, 86 saves and a 2.17 ERA. Vazquez signed a contract extension worth $22 million in guarantees and potentially $41 million over six years prior to the 2018 season.
Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .
