Former Yankee MVP Wetteland Indicted On 3 Counts Of Child Sex Assault
DENTON, Texas (CBSNewYork/AP) — A Texas grand jury has indicted former All-Star and World Series MVP pitcher John Wetteland on three counts of continuous sexual assault of a child.
The indictments Thursday in Denton County, north of Dallas and Fort Worth, follow Wetteland's January arrest. He's accused of making a child repeatedly perform a sex act on him.
The 52-year-old Wetteland was released in January after posting a $25,000 bond. A phone number couldn't be found for him Friday and it's unclear if he has an attorney.
Wetteland was the Most Valuable Player of the 1996 World Series when he was with the New York Yankees. He's also been inducted into the Texas Rangers' Hall of Fame.
Wetteland, a three-time All-Star, had 330 saves over a 12-season career that also included stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos. He also had a 48-45 career record with a 2.93 ERA.
In 2009, while Wetteland was on the Seattle Mariners' coaching staff, authorities responded to a 911 call from his home in Texas. Media outlets reported that Denton County authorities described the call as a mental health issue, saying Wetteland was contemplating suicide. Wetteland said in a statement at the time that "the circumstances leading to my elevated blood pressure and heart rate have been addressed."
The Texas Rangers said in a statement at the time of his arrest that they "have been made aware of this situation and have no further comment." Wetteland has no current role with the organization.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
