Man Sentenced for Theft of Jackie Robinson Statue
- A man was sentenced to approximately 15 years in prison for stealing a bronze statue of Jackie Robinson in Kansas.
- The statue was discovered in a trash can after being cut off at the ankles.
- Most of the man's sentence stems from a related burglary that occurred shortly after the statue theft.
Ricky Alderete has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for the theft of a bronze statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, which was discovered mutilated and burned in a trash can. In addition to the statue theft, Alderete received a 13.5-year sentence for an unrelated burglary. During his court appearance in Kansas, he attributed his criminal actions to a fentanyl addiction, expressing remorse for his behavior. The shocking theft occurred in January, when the statue was cut from its base, leaving only its shoes and feet behind. The statue was a tribute to Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947 while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The League 42 youth baseball league, named after Robinson's uniform number, primarily serves low-income youth and has been actively involved in the community. In response to the theft, the community rallied to raise funds for a replacement statue, with Major League Baseball contributing $100,000. The new statue, crafted from the original mold, is set to be unveiled on Monday at a park in Wichita. Notable figures, including former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre and 2007 American League Cy Young award winner CC Sabathia, are expected to attend the ceremony. Jackie Robinson, who played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues before his historic MLB career, is celebrated not only as a sports icon but also as a significant figure in the civil rights movement. He passed away in 1972, leaving a lasting legacy.