Ex-Rangers pitcher John Wetteland goes to trial soon on Texas child sex abuse charge

Fort Worth Star-Telegram - 8/13/2022

Former Texas Rangers pitcher John Wetteland is scheduled to go on trial in Denton later this month on charges that he molested a young child between 2004 and 2006.

Wetteland, who also pitched for the New York Yankees and other MLB teams, is set for trial on Aug.. 29 in the 462nd District Court in Denton.

A Denton County prosecutor and a court official said that the trial for the 55-year-old Trophy Club man is scheduled for that date.

“Our plea will be not guilty, and that’s what our position will be,” said Derek Adame of Denton, Wetteland’s attorney, shortly after a 2019 hearing in the case. “He is innocent.”

Bartonville police have said that they were contacted by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on Jan. 9, 2019, on the case. Bartonville is about 12 miles south of Denton.

After an investigation, Wetteland was arrested a few days later.

A Denton County grand jury indicted Wetteland in 2019 on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than age 14.

Wetteland is charged with sexually assaulting the same child on three occasions between 2004 and 2006. The child was 4 years old when the incidents began, authorities have said.

A probable cause affidavit says Wetteland is accused of sexually assaulting a child who was known to him.

Adame answered this question from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram after a May 2019 hearing: Why would someone accuse a person of such a heinous act if it is not true?

“You’ll see the other side has plenty to gain,” Adame said. “We think all of this will be pretty clear, why these false accusations have been made.”

The inference is there is money to be made by accusing Wetteland, who made more than $33 million during his 11-year MLB career.

Adame mentioned the time lapse of the allegation. How can you prove something that happened 15 years ago?

Wetteland joined the Rangers in 1997 and is a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame. He also pitched for the New York Yankees.

Following his pitching career, Wetteland became the bullpen coach for the Washington Nationals, but was fired in 2006. Three years later, he began working as a bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners.

Wetteland considered himself a born-again Christian and reportedly had coached and taught at Liberty Christian School in Argyle more than 10 years ago. Wetteland was a part-time employee and was a pitching coach and Bible teacher, according to a spokeswoman at the school. He taught from 2007 to 2008.

This report contains information from the Star-Telegram;s archives.