Crime

Indians’ Pitcher Fausto Carmona Is Not Fausto Carmona — Arrested for Using Fake Identity

Cleveland Indians Pitcher Arrested for Using Fake Name, Identity

AP

CLEVELAND (AP) — From year to year and game to game, the Cleveland Indians never knew what to expect from Fausto Carmona.

On Thursday, he stunned them again.

Carmona, the Indians’ opening-day starter last season, was arrested in the Dominican Republic for allegedly using a false identity. Officials in his native country are contesting his real name and birthdate.

Police spokesman Maximo Baez Aybar said Carmona was arrested in Santo Domingo outside the U.S. consulate, where he had gone to renew his visa. Carmona had played winter ball in the Dominican as he prepared to report to the Indians’ training camp in Goodyear, Ariz., next month.

At this point, his future with the club is uncertain.

Aybar said Carmona‘s real name is apparently Roberto Hernandez Heredia and he’s 31, three years older than the pitcher claimed. The Indians list Carmona’s birthday as Dec. 7, 1983, in their 2011 media guide.

“We were recently made aware of the situation that occurred today in the Dominican Republic and are currently in the process of gathering information,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. “We are not prepared to make any additional comment at this time.”

Carmona’s agent said he was caught off-guard by the arrest and that there are Dominican lawyers working on the player’s behalf. He did not disclose the names of the lawyers.

“This took us by complete surprise,” agent Jay Alou said. “What we have to do now is wait to find out the process that has to be done with the consulate with this new identity in order to see if he can get a new work visa.”

Carmona’s arrest is the second involving a major leaguer in four months in a false identity case. Miami Marlins reliever Leo Nunez was arrested in September. Last month, an apologetic Nunez said he falsified his identify when he was young so he could play professional baseball. Nunez‘s real name is Juan Carlos Oviedo and he’s 29, a year older than listed in the Marlins’ media guide.

Carmona’s career in Cleveland has been one of extremes.

After going 1-10 in 2006, the right-hander with a wicked slider came out of nowhere to win 19 games in 2007, shocking the Indians who had briefly experimented with him as a closer. Carmona, though, followed up with a disappointing 2008 season, and in 2009 the club sent him to the lower minors to work on his mechanics.

Carmona rebounded to win 13 games in 2010 in manager Manny Acta’s first season. Although he went just 7-15 last season, Carmona stayed healthy, didn’t miss a start and was expected to be part of the starting rotation this season. The Indians picked up his $7 million option for 2012 in October.

The Indians signed Carmona to a four-year contract in 2008. The club has options on him for 2013 at $9 million and 2014 at $12 million.

Cleveland signed Carmona as a free agent in 2000.

—

Soldevila reported from the Dominican Republic.

Comments (33)

  • Mil Mom
    Posted on January 21, 2012 at 11:56pm

    RE : Obama’s Kenyan father precludes his eligibility
    ****
    Unless IN FACT he IS BARI SHABAZZ, then the fact that he‘s Malcolm X’s son would qualify him Constitutionally, if he wasn’t using a FALSE IDENTITY to pull a fast one on America!!!!

    Report Post » Mil Mom  
  • georgeisn6
    Posted on January 21, 2012 at 1:02pm

    There is only one law enforsment officer left in the US, that is sheriff JOE in arizona. So we should have the sheriff raid the training camps of all the sports team‘s in this country and deport all the illeagal sports heros he find’s. that would shut down most of the teams in the country, an that would be a very good thing.

    Report Post »  
  • shorthanded12
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 10:26pm

    Plain an simple a clear case where MLB has given into Affirmative Action and played to the Liberal politicians of this Country. The true American ballplayers (whites and blacks) are being passed over for all these dam hispanics. I say arrest his azz for violating imigration laws than deport and do not pass go And please dont come back period. Sick and tired of seeing these latinos getting a free pass in “MY COUNTRY”. Stealing are jobs, free healthcare, education, avoiding taxes, foodstamps. Do the right thing Cleveland and drop this Illeagal like a hot potato.

    Report Post »  
  • heyjim55
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 8:09pm

    There is nothing surprising about this as many hispanic’s come into the country under false names or use a relatives ID. Without giving to much info here I can tell you that having been in the local USCIS office five or six times for solving and appearing as requested by the USCIS for immigration purposes. I saw no Mexicans or Hispanic people in that building ever! and asked a officer about it his response was this “ we never see them” they must be getting thier ID’s made some where else by illigal means or by some activist group. You don‘t have to go inside these buildings to see that just pack a snack some day and sit on a bench and watch who goe in and out you won’t see any Mexicans so I have no doubt that the Cleveland Indians know how to get around this stuff if they want to.

    Report Post »  
  • MountainScout
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 5:19pm

    Pretty sure the Indians had him listed as “Player to be named later” ;-)

    Report Post » MountainScout  
  • garbagecanlogic
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 4:54pm

    And does this surprise anyone. Hell, half the hispanics in this country that are arrested seem to have at least 2-4 different names.

    The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
    The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

    Report Post »  
  • mdlwoods
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 4:18pm

    Why did they have to change their names? Was there some political reason? Obviously, there was some reason they had to keep their real names hidden in order to get to the US to play ball. I think judgment should be withheld until all the facts are known, otherwise, remember: a rose by any other name smells just as sweet. Surely a ball player by any other name would be just as talented!

    Report Post » mdlwoods  
    • jimguerra1304
      Posted on January 21, 2012 at 11:04pm

      They falsify their identity so that they can appear younger to scouts and major league teams. There is a real short window of time for players to be signed because it takes years to develop them for the big leagues, and a difference in age of two or three years will make a prospective ballplayer “too old” for the teams. It happens all the time. Nothing to hide but the age, trying to appear younger to be more attractive to major league teams.

      Report Post »  
  • Winkycat
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 2:37pm

    As a person from the sub continent it is disgusting that revisionists have not changed a 500 year mistake. Native Americans are NOT Indians. That was a mistake make by Columbus who seeking a route to India bumped into the New world and christianed the natives “Indians”.
    If he was seeking a route to China and made the same mistake, the Chinese would have demanded that revisionists change calling the natives “Chines” a long time ago. I do not understand why India is not making this an issue for the ONLY INDIANS ON EARTH COME FROM INDIA.
    This arrogance on the Part of American historians not to correct this mistake when a nation of one billion two hundred and fifty million INDIANS exist in the land called INDIA. Outside of that land there is no person who has the right to be called an INDIAN

    Report Post »  
    • USAF2003
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 4:03pm

      I am sorry for offending you. For now on I will call them Red Skin. Being what an idiot you are, you probably shouldn’t speak/communicate with anyone again.

      Report Post »  
    • chips1
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 4:43pm

      That’s what we tried to explain to Custer, but he just wouldn’t listen. Now we are reduced to scalping Redskin tickets.

      Report Post »  
    • Amica
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 7:03pm

      Everybody knows that! Historians have nothing to do with the name of a baseball team. Back off, lighten up and relax a little.

      Report Post » Amica  
    • Mil Mom
      Posted on January 21, 2012 at 11:47pm

      I personally have many friends and close family members who are American indians either full blood or partial. To a point, EACH ONE HAS SAID THEY WOULD RATHER BE CALLED AMERICAN INDIANS, THAN NATIVE AMERICANS! THEY HAVE A 500 YEAR HISTORY OF BEING CALLED AMERICAN INDIANS, AND ALL THE HISTORY BOOKS EXCEPT FOR THE LAST 30 Yrs HAVE THEIR HISTORY AS SUCH! EACH TIME I’VE SPOKEN WITH ANYONE OF THEM, THEY’VE POINTED OUT THAT I, AS BEING BORN AS A 3RD GENERATION AMERICAN, AM A NATIVE BORN AMERICAN! Get over it, the effort to do away with the American Indian connections and names, logos etc. IS COMING ENTIRELY FROM PC IDIOTS! THEY (ALL THE AMERICAN INDIANS I KNOW!) CONSIDER THESE CONNOTATIONS TO BE SOMETHING AFFIRMATIVE!!!!

      Report Post » Mil Mom  
  • ThoreauHD
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 2:34pm

    Sounds like he could run for President on the Democrat ticket.

    Report Post » ThoreauHD  
  • bizkit
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 12:04pm

    Can I take his identity for a couple of months, make some money as an illegal alien again, but don’t worry, he will be playing baseball in the
    U.S. soon enough because the rule of law is only for us lowly law abiding American Citizens.
    DAILYEPICALERT.COM

    Report Post »  
  • lembrandt
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 11:15am

    Wow – what a surprise – somebody from south of the border using a fake identity.

    Report Post »  
  • Tom K
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 9:23am

    Just what is Carmona or Heredia or whoever he is, trying to hide ? Too bad he wasn‘t completely checked out like our President WASN’T !

    Report Post »  
    • @leftfighter
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 10:43am

      This is actually rampant in the Dominican Republic among baseball players. They’re *all* three of four years older than they say they are because when they’re playing against kids three or four years younger than them, they look like phenoms, which get them attention from the “Bigs.”

      Case in point: Remember the DR also turned out Danny Almonte during the Little League World Series several years ago? Remember all the buzz about how great he was, until a couple of weeks after the LLWS was over. Then, oops! He was too old and his team had to forfeit every game.

      The worst part? The teams they beat couldn’t go back and replay their games fairly to see who would really have won.

      Report Post » @leftfighter  
  • lukerw
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 8:46am

    Just wait until all the new borns are named Mohammed or Barack!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • jb.kibs
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 11:04am

      Romney… you do know he is backed by BSofA? JP\Chase , etc, etc… he is all bank backed, the same banks who recieved bailout money… the same banks you watch Glenn Beck make fun of on his show… Bank of America… seriously.. ROMNEY?! yeah, if you want our president to keep sucking the rear ends of these corporations and special interests, by all means…

      Romney bought a washer\dryer company, family owned, high quality parts… when he took over, he made them use cheap parts shipped in from china, would force them to ship out their washers even if parts were missing just to fulfill the orders… the man doesn’t care about anything other than HIS profit. which is not a problem, IF you are willing to recognize that fact and understand that he’s going to use the same concepts with america… he never bought a company and made it better than what it was. look it up. in fact, every company he bought, he had to liquidate it… he even killed kay bee toys! come on..
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KB_Toys

      Report Post »  
  • Tickdog
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 8:36am

    lol!!!

    Report Post » Tickdog  
  • Kenyan Hunter
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 8:06am

    Sounds a lot like………..Barry Soetoro !

    Report Post »  
  • Kenyan Hunter
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 8:05am

    Gee….kinda sounds like Barry Soetoro !

    Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 7:46am

    I wonder if he’s on foodstamps like the rest of them ???

    Report Post »  
  • MinutemanOnTheBorder
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 7:43am

    Read our After Action Report on our first border op of the new year at http://www.americanborder.blogspot.com.

    Report Post » MinutemanOnTheBorder  
    • Amica
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 10:21am

      At least put just a little effort into your spam advertisement and leave a comment on the story so it doesn’t LOOK like a spam advertisement.

      Report Post » Amica  
  • Patrick Henry II
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 7:23am

    If they would have waited and arested him right before a playoff game it would be kind of like a democrat strategy. lol…
    Sad that a banna republic‘s immigration inforcment is more honest than the USA’s.

    Report Post » Patrick Henry II  
  • mrmikejohnson
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 7:13am

    Carmona will be given a medal of honor by La Raza and NBC for his great courage. You can’t enforce any laws that separate people from their family. Illegal immigration, armed robbery, etc can no longer be enforced because they separate people from their families. All people currently in jail must be released because they are separated from their families. Carmona will be given a medal of honor by La Raza and NBC for his great courage.

    Report Post »  
  • NOBALONEY
    Posted on January 20, 2012 at 7:09am

    There’s millions more doing the same thing. The Department of Obama Justice sees only what it what’s to see.

    Report Post » NOBALONEY  
    • BeckIgnoresConstitution
      Posted on January 20, 2012 at 5:10pm

      Barack Obama aka: Barry Soetoro, Harrison J. Bounel, Barack Soebarkah

      So where’s TheBlaze story exposing Obama?

      “The truth has no agenda. The truth will set you free. The truth needs to be held like a sword and a shield.” – G. Beck.

      Our constitution does in fact logically define a natural born citizen!

      The Constitution, Art. 2, Sec. 1, states “No person except a natural born citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible … .”

      Exempting a “citizen” from being a “natural born citizen” (NBC) proves they aren’t equal, or no exemption was needed. If they are not equal, then a NBC must be either less than or greater than a citizen. Obviously a NBC isn’t less than a citizen. Therefore a NBC must be greater than a citizen. The pertinent minimal requirement for citizenship at the time was one born in the US to a US citizen parent, leaving just one possibility. Only US birth to US citizen parents (plural) is greater!

      The SCOTUS agreed in Minor v. Happersett, 1874. “The Court held that Minor was a member of the “class” of persons who were natural born citizens. They defined this class as those born in the US to “parents” (plural) who were citizens.” – Leo Donofrio, JD.

      Obama’s Kenyan father precludes his eligibility.

      http://www.thepostemail.com/2012/01/20/breaking-georgia-judge-denies-obamas-motion-to-quash-subpoenas/

      http://obamabirthcertificate.net

      Report Post » BeckIgnoresConstitution  

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