{"id":2249308,"date":"2024-05-21T09:49:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T13:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-red-sox-pitcher-tackled-to-the-ground-arrested-in-child-sex-sting-operation\/"},"modified":"2024-05-21T09:53:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T13:53:06","slug":"former-red-sox-pitcher-tackled-to-the-ground-arrested-in-child-sex-sting-operation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-red-sox-pitcher-tackled-to-the-ground-arrested-in-child-sex-sting-operation\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Arrested in Child Sex Sting Operation"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fformer-red-sox-pitcher-tackled-to-the-ground-arrested-in-child-sex-sting-operation%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2249308&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In 2017, Austin Dean\u200b Maddox,\u200b a \u200bformer \u200bBoston Red Sox pitcher, was\u200b arrested as part\u200b of\u2063 a Florida <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-era-usps-chief-in-mail-in-ballot-unit-arrested-on-pedophilia-charges\/\" title=\"Biden-era USPS Chief in Mail-in Ballot Unit Arrested on Pedophilia Charges\">child sex sting<\/a>.\u2064 This sting, named Operation Valiant\u200b Knights, led to 27 arrests by the Jacksonville\u2064 Sheriff&#8217;s\u2064 Office. Maddox faces four felony charges and is currently in\u2062 jail on a $300,000 bond. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pastor-high-school-coach-among-nearly-80-people-arrested-in-sex-trafficking-sting-operation\/\" title=\"Pastor, High School Coach Among Nearly 80 People Arrested In Sex Trafficking Sting Operation\">operation aimed<\/a> to crack down on child exploitation online. \u200cIn 2017, Austin Dean Maddox, a former \u200dBoston Red Sox\u200c pitcher, was arrested \u200cin a Florida\u2064 child sex sting known as Operation \u2063Valiant Knights.\u2064 The Jacksonville Sheriff&#8217;s Office\u2063 made 27 arrests in this operation. Maddox is facing four\u200b felony charges \u200dand is presently\u200c held \u200con a $300,000 bond. \u200cThe operation&#8217;s focus was to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/12-arrested-in-sacramento-county-child-pornography-sting\/\" title=\"12 individuals have been arrested in a child pornography operation in Sacramento County.\">combat online child exploitation<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/news\/\">  News <\/a>    <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/russdavis\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/russdavis\/%20\"><span>Jack Davis<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   May 21, 2024 at 6:31am <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>In 2017, Austin Dean Maddox stepped to the mound as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.<\/p>\n<p>And now he is among 27 men arrested in a child sex sting in Florida.<\/p>\n<p>Maddox, 33, was arrested April 28 by the Jacksonville Sherriff\u2019s Office after a sting called Operation Valiant Knights in which the sheriff\u2019s office and its partners arrested men they charged with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ron-paul-group-hosts-convicted-child-sex-offender-at-texas-conference\/\" title=\"Ron Paul Group Hosts Convicted Child Sex Offender At Texas Conference\">seeking sex<\/a> from underage individuals, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcboston.com\/news\/local\/former-red-sox-pitcher-arrested\/3374711\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WBTS-TV<\/a> in Boston.<\/p>\n<p>He faces four felony charges: Traveling to meet after using a computer to seduce\/solicit\/lure a child; soliciting a child by computer; unlawful use of a communication device; and producing or promoting a performance that includes sexual performance by a child.<\/p>\n<p>The online news outlet <a href=\"https:\/\/flvoicenews.com\/jacksonville-sheriff-announces-27-arrests-in-multi-agency-sting-targeting-child-exploitation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Florida\u2019s Voice<\/a> reported that Maddox <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/real-genius-actor-gabriel-jarret-caught-child-predator-sting-accused-trying-meet-girl14-sex-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">resisted arrest<\/a> and a K-9 became involved in the arrest.<\/p>\n<p>A scene Maddox being tackled appears at 1:37 of a video by the sheriff\u2019s office to the social <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JSOPIO\/status\/1792600355630404046\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media platform X<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">CHILD PREDATOR OPERATION:<\/p>\n<p>27 men thought they were chatting online with underage girls. Instead, they were talking to our detectives.<\/p>\n<p>The Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office, along with our local, state, and federal partners with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force,\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/b83oyAp1vd\">pic.twitter.com\/b83oyAp1vd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jax Sheriff\u2019s Office (@JSOPIO) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JSOPIO\/status\/1792600355630404046?\">May 20, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Maddox is in jail on a $300,000 bond, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6980334\/ex-red-sox-pitcher-austin-maddox-florida-sex-sting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Has the internet made the world more dangerous for children?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>According to WBTS, Maddox appeared as a reliever in 15 Red Sox games in the 2017 season, with an ERA of 0.52 in 17 regular season innings in 13 games, and a postseason ERA of 4.50 over two innings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUndercover detectives posing as children, chatted online with these adults. These adults solicited sexual activity and committed to engaging in sex acts with purported minors and pre-arranged locations,\u201d Waters said, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news4jax.com\/news\/local\/2024\/05\/20\/live-sheriff-tk-waters-discusses-multiple-arrests-involving-internet-crimes-against-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WJXT-TV<\/a> in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n<p>Waters said the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/17-men-including-prosecutor-arrested-multi-agency-sting-operation-targeting-internet-child-sex-predators\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">27 men arrested<\/a> ranged from 19 to 69 years old,<\/p>\n<p>Kevin Pearce, 58, a former Duval County Public Schools district maintenance employee, was among those arrested.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe traveled to a prearranged location with the intent of engaging in sexual conduct with a 13-year-old child,\u201d Waters said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJSO and our partners put the highest priority on the safety and security of our children,\u201d Waters said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs the internet provides new and frightening opportunities for predators to victimize our children, our investigators, along with those with our partner agencies, will continue to proactively identify and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/group-poses-online-to-catch-child-predators\/\" title=\"Online group forms to apprehend child predators\">apprehend child predators<\/a> before they have the opportunity to act upon their perversions,\u201d Waters said.<\/p>\n<p>Waters also had a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/lgbt-center-director-arrested-multi-agency-child-sex-sting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">message for parents<\/a>, according to Florida\u2019s Voice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very important for us to set as many protections on our computers and to pay attention to what our kids are doing,\u201d Waters said. \u201cIf you don\u2019t, sometimes these kinds of things happen and we do not want our kids being victims of these predators.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><b><i>A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>\u201cWe don\u2019t even know if an election will be held in 2024.\u201d Those 12 words have been stuck in my head since I first read them. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Former Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn recently made that comment to Floyd Brown, founder of The Western Journal. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>And if the leftists and the elites get their way, that\u2019s exactly what will happen \u2014 no real election, no real choice for the Electoral College, and no real say for the American people. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Western Journal is fighting to keep that from happening, but we can\u2019t do it alone.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We work tirelessly to expose the lying leftist media and the corrupt America-hating elites.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>But Big Tech\u2019s stranglehold is now so tight that <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>without help<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  from you, we will not be able to continue the fight. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The 2024 election is literally the most important election for every living American. We have to unite and fight for our country, otherwise we will lose it. And if we lose the America we love in 2024, we\u2019ll lose it for good. Can we <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>count on you<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  to help? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>With you we will be able to field journalists, do more investigative work, expose more corruption, and get desperately needed truth to millions of Americans. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We can do this only with your help. Please don\u2019t wait one minute.<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>  Donate right now<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Thank you for reading,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Josh Manning<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Deputy Managing Editor<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>P.S. Please <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=BM6XAWRJ8NS7A&#038;utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>stand with us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  today.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-44685\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/russdavis\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-44685\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-44685\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-44685\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-44685\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues. <br \/> Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com. <\/p>\n<p>  Location <\/p>\n<p>  New York City <\/p>\n<p>  Languages Spoken <\/p>\n<p>  English <\/p>\n<p>  Topics of Expertise <\/p>\n<p>  Politics, Foreign Policy, Military &#038; Defense Issues <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2017, Austin Dean Maddox, a former Boston Red Sox pitcher, was one of 27 men arrested in a Florida child sex sting. Arrested on April 28 by the Jacksonville Sheriff&#8217;s Office, Maddox, 33, faced legal consequences for his involvement in the operation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":661,"featured_media":2249309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/austin-maddox-for-may-21-2024.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2249308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/austin-maddox-for-may-21-2024.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2249308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/661"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2249308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2249308\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2249309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2249308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2249308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2249308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}