Fausto Carmona Arrested For False Identity, is Actually 31

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Fausto Carmona has been arrested in the Dominican Republic on charges of using a false identity, according to reporter Yancen Pujols.

Roberto Hernandez Heredia—Carmona’s alleged real name—was arrested outside the American consulate after he renewed his visa, according to the Dominican police. The U.S. consulate worked with Dominican authorities to arrest Carmona.

In addition to using a false name, Heredia is actually 31 years old, not 28, as he had claimed.

The Indians had just exercised a $7 million 2012 option for the pitcher they believed to be Carmona. That will probably end up looking like a mistake, not just because Heredia is older than he had claimed to be but also because he may not be back for the start of the season. ESPN’s Jorge Arangure says that the chances of him settling his visa situation in time are “not good.”

UPDATE: “We were recently made aware of the situation that occurred today in the Dominican Republic and a currently in the process of gathering information,” Cleveland GM Chris Antonetti told WTAM 1100’s Nick Camino.” We are not prepared to make any additional comment at this time.”

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