A Wichita man has pleaded guilty to charges in the theft and destruction of a statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.
During a hearing Thursday in Sedgwick County District Court, 45-year-old Ricky Alderete admitted that he helped cut down the statue at McAdams Park, and then he helped load it into a pickup. He said he was not the one who used a saw to cut the statue down. He said he wanted to sell the statue for scrap metal to get money to buy drugs.
The statue was discovered missing on January 25th and it was found destroyed a few days later in Garvey Park.
Prosecutors say they will recommend 15 years in prison and over $41,000 in restitution when Alderete is sentenced on July 1st.
