Friday, May 10, 2024 - A 45-year-old man who stole and destroyed American baseball legend, Jackie Robinson statue in Kansas is now facing 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges including on Thursday, May 9.
Recall that the large Jackie statue was stolen on January 25
from a youth baseball park in Wichita. It was later found burned and destroyed
days later at a nearby park.
While multiple people were captured on surveillance
video taking the statue, only one person, Ricky Alderete, has been
arrested and charged.
Alderete could be headed away for nearly two decades, after
admitting his role in the crime in court this week. Prosecutors said Alderete
pled guilty to aggravated burglary, aggravated criminal damage to property,
interference with law enforcement, criminal damage to property, theft, making a
false writing, and identity theft.
He might also be forced to pay League 42 (where the statue
was taken) over $41k. The statue was purchased by the league for around $50k,
per the Associated Press, and installed in 2021.
After the statue was stolen and destroyed,
a GoFundMe was started and ultimately raised over $194k. Alderete
will be sentenced in a Kansas courtroom on July 1.
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