ZCZC
BSP-06
BASEBALL-USA-MLB-WETTELAND
Ex-MLB pitcher Wetteland arrested on child sex abuse charges
LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Former Major League Baseball star
pitcher John Wetteland was indicted Thursday on three charges of aggravated
sexual assault of a child, US media reported.
The indictment, reported by the Dallas Morning News and other outlets,
means a grand jury found sufficient evidence to continue with prosecution of
the case.
Wetteland, 52, was arrested in January after a relative accused him of
forcing the performance of sex acts on him three times beginning in 2004,
when the child was just four years old.
The accuser told police it happened twice more over the next two years at
Wetteland’s home.
Wetteland, who was released on bond in January, was the Most Valuable
Player of the 1996 World Series, when he registered four saves to help the
New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves.
He also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos and Texas
Rangers in a major league career that spanned from 1989 to his retirement
after the 2000 season.
Wetteland retired as the Texas Rangers’ all-time saves leader with 150 and
later worked as a bullpen coach for the Washington Nationals and Seattle
Mariners.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0837 hrs