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Anthony Olivieri, ESPN.com
Ricky Alderete, 45, arrested after a Jackie Robinson statue went lacking from a Wichita, Kansas, youth baseball league in January, pleaded responsible Thursday to theft and different expenses.
Alderete may face greater than 19 years behind bars when he is sentenced on July 1, the district lawyer’s workplace informed ESPN.
Along with theft, he can be sentenced for aggravated housebreaking, aggravated legal injury to property, interference with legislation enforcement, legal injury to property, making a false writing and identification theft. The crimes are associated to the theft, in addition to his identification and arrest, the district lawyer’s workplace mentioned.
The prosecutor’s workplace additionally mentioned that Alderete can be pressured to pay $41,500 to League 42, the youth baseball outfit named after the Brooklyn Dodgers legend.
“We’re glad that this explicit chapter has been put to relaxation,” Bob Lutz, the manager director of League 42, informed ESPN on Friday. “I am glad that somebody has been held accountable for this statue theft.”
“I hope that Mr. Alderete has discovered from this expertise. I hope that he has discovered that what he and his accomplices did was dangerous to lots of people, together with youngsters, and hopefully he’ll do higher.”
Police mentioned they do not imagine the crime to be racially motivated, based mostly on what they know right now.
There have been no extra arrests related to the case, however, utilizing surveillance video, police mentioned there have been not less than two different people current when the statue was lower, leaving the bronze replicas of Robinson’s cleats behind, and stolen from Wichita’s McAdams Park, the place League 42 performs its video games. Elements of the statue have been later discovered, charred from a hearth, in one other park 7 miles away.
A police affidavit obtained by ESPN mentioned that, days after the arrest, Alderete ran from police and entered a person’s residence. The opposite man finally escaped and received in contact with police, resulting in Alderete’s arrest.
A GoFundMe web page arrange by the league raised practically $200,000 earlier than the fundraising hyperlink was closed Feb. 5, lower than two weeks from when the statue went lacking. Lutz estimated that League 42 obtained between $500,000 and $600,000 in whole.
MLB has pledged to pay for the statue to be rebuilt, as a coordinated effort amongst golf equipment. Lutz mentioned League 42 has obtained a $100,000 test from MLB for the brand new statue, in addition to safety and lighting round it.
League 42 had its opening day, with out the statue in place, on Jackie Robinson Day in April. The brand new statue is predicted to be unveiled in August.
Police imagine the theft was “motivated by the monetary achieve of scrapping widespread steel.”
“I am sorry for him,” David Robinson, Jackie Robinson’s son, mentioned of Alderete to ESPN. “I am sorry for the troubles of his life. His answer to steal a sculpture of a person of the stature of Jackie Robinson, it is a additional unlucky alternative and circumstance of his personal making.
“However my primary feeling is that I am sorry for the person and his place in life. I perceive he has pleaded responsible. I want he takes society’s punishment in one of the simplest ways doable and from there can go on to enhance his life.”
ESPN’s William Weinbaum contributed to this report.
