Meet Deunte Heath, age 24.? Heath is (or was) a minor league pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization but he was recently suspended indefinitely after news reports revealed he’d been involved in a prostitution sting near the Braves spring training home in Kissimmee, Fla.
The 24-year-old was in Florida participating in the Braves’ Minor League Spring Training camp.
According to reports, Heath was arrested near the Braves spring training camp in Kissimmee, Fla. Thursday night and is facing prostitution charges after allegedly responding to an ad on a classifieds web site.
Authorites used Craigslist.com and Backdoor.com for the sting and in some cases, police responded to ads, for others, they posted their own fake ones online. Police in Kissimmee say that Heath responded to an Internet advertisement for prostitution and then agreed to pay a decoy $75 for sexual acts.
Heath was charged with two misdemeanors – assignation to commit prostitution and entering a dwelling for prostitution after being arrested at an area apartment.
The Braves’ issued a statement that said the club continues to gather information relating to the charges and that Heath has been sent home to Decatur, Ga. after posting a $10,000 bond.
A total of nine people were arrested during the two-day sting.
Heath appeared in seven games for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves last season. He grew up in Atlanta and played baseball at Newton High School. He pitched in a total of 32 games last season between Triple-A Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi, turning in a 2-6 record, with a 5.20 ERA.? He was selected by Atlanta in the 19th round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft.