Former Red Sox Pitcher Austin Maddox Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox received a three-year prison sentence on Friday after pleading guilty to charges stemming from an underage sex sting operation.

The sentence caps a controversial fall from grace for the 34-year-old, who admitted to traveling to meet what he believed was a 14-year-old girl for illicit acts and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.

Nut Graf

Maddox’s plea and sentencing in Jacksonville highlight the aggressive tactics of multi-agency stings targeting potential child predators online. His three-year term, with credit for 501 days already served, underscores the legal consequences facing public figures caught in such operations.

Details of the Plea Deal

  • Maddox pleaded guilty to traveling to meet a minor for unlawful acts (second-degree felony) and unlawful use of a two-way communications device (third-degree felony).
  • In exchange, prosecutors dropped an additional charge of soliciting a child via computer.
  • He will receive credit for 501 days in custody and serve five years of sex-offender probation upon release.

Operation Valiant Knights

Maddox was one of 27 individuals arrested during Operation Valiant Knights, a five-day coordinated effort by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and partner agencies to apprehend adults seeking sex with minors online.

From College Star to Convict

A standout at the University of Florida and a third-round pick by the Red Sox in 2012, Maddox made his MLB debut in 2017 before injuries curtailed his career. His brief major-league tenure is now overshadowed by a felony conviction and prison sentence.

Judge Lindsay Tygart imposed the three-year prison term during a hearing on September 12, mandating that Maddox serve probation and comply with sex-offender registration requirements. The sentence aims to send a strong message about the seriousness of exploiting minors online.