Man charged in theft of Jackie Robinson statue from Wichita park pleads guilty

WICHITA, Kan. – A Wichita man has admitted to stealing a valuable bronze statue of baseball great Jackie Robinson from a Wichita park in January.

Ricky Angel Alderete, 45, pleaded guilty to four crimes Thursday at his arraignment: aggravated criminal damage to property; theft of property or services valued at $25,000 to $100,000; making false information; and identity theft.

Alderete is scheduled for sentencing on July 1 by Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush, court records show.

Wichita police arrested Alderete after the 275-pound statue was cut off above its cleats early on Jan. 25 and hauled away from McAdams Park, 1329 E. 16th St. The statue, unveiled in the park in 2021, had been a main gathering place for Wichita nonprofit League 42, a local youth baseball league.

Surveillance video that captured the theft showed at least three suspects. It’s unclear whether anyone else will be charged.

The statue was found two days later, burned in a trash can at Garvey Park, about seven miles away.

Robinson, who wore number 42, was the first Black player to play in Major League Baseball, breaking the color barrier in 1947. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Alderete remained in the Sedgwick County Jail on Friday morning.