Tejada Charged With Lying in Steroid Probe

Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada has been charged with lying to congressional staffers involved in the inquiry into steroids use in baseball, the Washington Post reports. Federal prosecutors say Tejada’s accounts of conversations with teammate Adam Piatt in 2003, while both played for the Oakland Athletics, are contradicted by Piatt, who cooperated with investigators. Tejada will appear in court in Washington tomorrow.

Tejada is accused only of lying about his knowledge of steroids in baseball, not about his own use. The form the charge came in, a so-called “criminal information,” suggests the player has reached a plea deal with prosecutors. The maximum sentence is one year, but Tejada will likely get probation. The conversation in question occurred in 2005, while Tejada was with the Baltimore Orioles; he was traded to Houston on the eve of the release of the Mitchell Report. (More Miguel Tejada stories.)