Former MLB player among 27 men arrested in child predator sting operation

Former Major League Baseball player Austin Dean Maddox was arrested as part of a child predator sting conducted by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, authorities announced Monday, May 20.

Maddox, who played for the Boston Red Sox in 2017, was one of 27 people arrested last month as part of the multi-agency operation, said Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters.

According to Waters, the suspects, ages 19 to 69, were arrested for soliciting sexual activity and agreeing to “perform sexual acts with presumed minors at prearranged locations.”

“These men face a long list of criminal offenses including solicitation of a child and human trafficking,” the sheriff’s office said. Photo credit: Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office via Storyful

Video transcript

Face away, put your, raise your hands up.

It is clear that they are underage and that they are trying to sexually exploit the miners.

Do you have a question, why should I do this?

I’m so sorry, I’ll never get them.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office works with local state and federal partners.

Recently, 27 men were arrested on charges of using the Internet to sexually exploit children.

The operation lasted five days.

In this case, each of these men believed they were meeting a minor.

Yes indeed.

For a sexual encounter.

Yes I do.

The task force used undercover chatter to speak online with potential sex offenders who eventually agreed to have sexual encounters with the supposedly underage girls.

Instead, these men met our Js O SWAT and narcotics detectives.

Certainly an unwelcome surprise.

The quicker an arrest can be made, the safer it is and the less likely it is to pose a danger to the community in the immediate area.

Robert Lee Suter showed up armed with a pistol and illegal drugs.

Austin Dean Maddox, identified as MD MA, former Major League Baseball player, resisted arrest until our dog intervened.

Yes.

He stopped Chad Michael Sadowski, still wearing his scrubs, from working at a local roadside hospital.

Investigators believe he believed he was dating an eight-year-old child, and investigators report that Kevin Bryan Pierce, who worked in maintenance for the Duval County Public School System, even sent a nude photo of himself to investigators In his opinion it was a 13-year-old girl.

We plan to continue this undercover investigation.

Our partner agencies will also carry out these.

The undercover agents are doing their best to identify and arrest these people who are again trying to sexually exploit children online.

Remember: Watch something, say something, report child sexual exploitation through the National Cyber ​​Tip Hotline at report dot cyber tip.org or call 1 800 the Lost.

You can also contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at JSO Crime Tips at jacker.org or call 9046300 500.