Felipe Vazquez -- once considered one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball -- has been found guilty of statutory sexual assault stemming from an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
The 2-time All-Star was arrested in 2019 following allegations Vasquez had sex with a 13-year-old girl in his Ford Mustang in Pennsylvania back in 2017 when he was 26.
Officials say the MLB closer also sent the girl graphic videos and photos -- and told her in text messages he was planning to have sex with her again.
The texts were discovered by the alleged victim's mother -- who alerted police. Investigators say the images depicted numerous "unique and distinguishable" tattoos on his body ... which they were able to match to Vazquez through public images on the Internet.
Prosecutors moved forward with 25 criminal charges against Vasquez -- including 10 counts of child pornography, 10 counts of unlawful contact with a minor and 1 count of corruption of minors.
But, on Thursday, the jury in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, found 29-year-old Vazquez guilty on 15 total counts -- including statutory sexual assault, sexual abuse of children, child pornography and corruption of minors.
The victim was in the courtroom with her family when the verdict was read, according to WPXI's Amy Hudak ... who also shot video of Vazquez returning to jail Thursday evening following his conviction.
Vazquez is in the back of this SUV lying down. Just left to return to jail as a convicted sex offender. @WPXI pic.twitter.com/RhNrfG39SU
— Amy Hudak (@amy_hudak) May 21, 2021
Vazquez now faces serious prison time when the sentencing portion of the case begins -- and he could also be deported to Venezuela.
Vazquez was a legitimate star in the MLB who had a solid season in 2019 -- and had signed a 4-year, $22.5 million contract in 2018.