Kansas Man Ricky Alderete Sentenced to 15 Years for Stealing Jackie Robinson Statue

Aug 4, 2024, 02:53 AM

Ricky Alderete, a 45-year-old Kansas man, has been sentenced to nearly 15 years in prison for stealing a bronze Jackie Robinson statue from a youth baseball league in Wichita, Kansas. The statue was cut off at the ankles and found smoldering in a trash can days later. Alderete pleaded guilty in May to theft and other charges related to the January theft, which occurred just before Black History Month. Although most of his prison time is related to a burglary that occurred shortly after the statue's disappearance, the theft of the statue was a significant factor in his sentencing.