A man who stole a bronze Jackie Robinson statue, which was found days later smouldering in a bin, has been sentenced to prison.
Ricky Alderete received an 18-month sentence on Friday for the theft of the statue, along with 13.5 years for an unrelated burglary. In a Kansas court, he attributed his actions to a fentanyl addiction.
NEW: Man who stole the Jackie Robinson statue from a Kansas park days before ‘black history month’ was sentenced to 15 years in prison ‘for multiple cases’
Ricky Alderete, 45, pleaded guilty in May to theft related to the January disappearance of the Jackie Robinson statue and… pic.twitter.com/0KosLnQiiv
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) August 4, 2024
The League 42 youth baseball league will unveil a new statue, crafted from the original mould, at a park in Wichita on Monday. The city was left in shock when the statue was severed from its base in January, leaving only the shoes and feet behind.
The league, named after Robinson’s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers, serves primarily low-income youth. Robinson famously broke the major leagues’ colour barrier in 1947 with the Dodgers.
Five days later, firefighters discovered the burnt remains of the statue while responding to a bin fire at another park, approximately 7 miles away.
Alderete pleaded guilty to the theft and was ordered to pay $41,500 in restitution in addition to his 18-month sentence.
He also received a 13.5-year prison sentence for an aggravated burglary that occurred on 1 February.
“I let fentanyl control my decisions and made many poor choices. I never meant to harm anyone,” Alderete stated in court on Friday. “I am embarrassed and ashamed. I accept whatever decision is made today.”
Following the theft, donations poured in to replace the statue, including $100,000 from Major League Baseball. Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre and 2007 American League Cy Young award winner CC Sabathia are expected to attend the unveiling on Monday.
The cleats left behind from the original Jackie Robinson statue are now displayed at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.
Robinson, who played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paved the way for generations of Black American ballplayers. He is celebrated as both a sports legend and a civil rights icon. Robinson passed away in 1972.