Former Expos pitcher John Wetteland charged with child sex abuse

Former Montreal Expo pitcher John Wetteland jokingly asks for room around the plate before throwing out the first pitch before a spring training baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, March 26, 2018 in Montreal. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)

John Wetteland, a former All-Star and World Series MVP, has been charged in Texas with continuous sex abuse of a child under age 14.

Wetteland, 52, was arrested Monday and freed on $25,000 bond, according to Denton County jail records. Wetteland lives in the Dallas-area suburb of Trophy Club.

Bartonville Police Chief Bobby Dowell said the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services contacted his office last week. After an investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for Wetteland, who was taken into custody by Denton County sheriff's deputies.

Dowell said that because of the nature of the offence and the stage of the investigation, he had no further details to release. DFPS spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales said details of the agency's cases are confidential.

According to a consolidated complaint and probable cause affidavit, Wetteland is accused of having a child perform a sex act on him, beginning in 2004 when the child was 4. The accuser said it happened twice more during a two-year period.

The Associated Press was not able to contact Wetteland or his attorney for comment.