Major League Baseball

Player's wife pleads guilty to kidnapping

Published Jul. 21, 2010 2:45 p.m. ET

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A woman accused of faking a pregnancy and stealing a baby to fool her baseball player husband into thinking he was the father has pleaded guilty.

Amalia Tabata-Pereira, 44, pleaded guilty in Hillsborough Circuit Court on Wednesday on charges of kidnapping, interference with custody and impersonating a public officer.

In March of 2009, Tabata-Pereira posed as an immigration official and threatened a migrant worker and her boyfriend with deportation if they didn't give their baby girl to Pereira, prosecutors say. The mother complied, then contacted police six hours later to report a kidnapping. Tabata-Pereira is married to Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jose Tabata.

Tabata-Pereira will be sentenced Sept. 30.

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