Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez arrested on child solicitation charges

Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez was arrested Tuesday on charges including solicitation of a child, authorities said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced that Vazquez, 28, was arrested at 11 a.m. Tuesday on a felony warrant out of Lee County, Fla., where he allegedly had been engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

Vazquez of Saint Cloud, Fla., was charged with one count of computer pornography -- solicitation of a child and one count of providing obscene material to minors.

FDLE said it began its investigation of August after reports that Vazquez had been in a sexual relationship with the victim since she was 13. Investigators said Vazquez continued to have a relationship with the victim via text messaging, sent her a video in July of him performing a sex act and sent her text messages suggesting they would meet for sex after the baseball season, according to the FDLE statement.

Pennsylvania State Police served a search warrant at Vazquez's Pittsburgh apartment and seized multiple electronic devices that will be examined as part of the investigation. Vazquez may face additional charges based on the completion of forensic exams.

Vazquez was taken to Allegheny County Jail where he will face extradition to Lee County.

The Pirates issued a statement on Vazquez's arrest Tuesday, saying the MLB Commissioner's office will immediately place him on administrative leave.

"We take this matter and these charges in particular extremely seriously," the team said.