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Child sex assault charges dismissed against former Texas Rangers pitcher

Former All-Star Texas Rangers reliever John Wetteland was initially arrested in January 2019 on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14.

TROPHY CLUB, Texas — Child sexual assault charges against former Texas Rangers pitcher John Wetteland have been dismissed following last year's mistrial in the case, according to court records.

All three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child against Wetteland were dismissed on March 23, according to Wetteland's Denton County case file.

The case file showed that prosecutors last week filed a motion to dismiss Wetteland's case. Judge Lee Ann Breading granted the motion and dismissed Wetteland's case.

The Denton County District Attorney's Office on Monday confirmed that they are not planning to file new charges in the case.

After Wetteland's 2022 mistrial, prosecutors told WFAA they were "moving forward" with the case and "that could mean plea bargain negotiations or retrial — up to him."

But no updates were noted in Wetteland's case file until the prosecutors' motion to dismiss the case last week.

Wetteland was initially arrested in January 2019 on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14.

He went on trial in August of last year, and the jury came back with a split decision, leading the judge to declare a mistrial in the case.

Wetteland faced 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

Wetteland, a member of the Texas Rangers' Hall of Fame and the Arlington club's all-time leader in saves, pitched 12 seasons in the major leagues, including the final four season of his career in Texas from 1997-2000.

A three-time All-Star, Wetteland also pitched two years for the New York Yankees, winning a World Series with the club in 1996 and earning the series MVP award.

More coverage of the John Wetteland case from WFAA:

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