WICHITA, Kan. — The man who cut a bronze statue of Jackie Robinson at the ankles removing the monument from the base has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. But most of the sentence wasn’t for taking the statue.
Ricky Alderete was sentenced to 18 months behind bars for taking the statue but another 13 and a half years for an unrelated burglary, CNN reported.
He had faced more than 19 years, ESPN reported.
Alderete said he committed the crimes because he was addicted to fentanyl.
The statue of Robinson had stood outside the League 42 youth baseball fields in Wichita, Kansas. The league, named 42 in honor of Robinson and the uniform number he wore with the Brooklyn Dodgers when he broke the color barrier in 1947, serves mostly low-income youth.
The statue was eventually found about a week later burned in a trash can at a park 7 miles away from the baseball fields.
Alderete pleaded guilty in May to taking the statue and with the 18-month sentence, also was ordered to pay $41,500 restitution to the league, ESPN reported.